SEC School Scoops Up West Virginia OL Transfer Donovan Haslam

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Saturday morning, former West Virginia offensive lineman Donovan Haslam committed to Tennessee, which caught many Mountaineer fans by surprise.
BREAKING: West Virginia starting OL Donovan Haslam has committed to Tennessee, @Hayesfawcett3 and @PeteNakos report🍊https://t.co/9VNwoeiVeW pic.twitter.com/XV1YWoWqxr
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal) January 17, 2026
It's not that Haslam doesn't have the talent or ability to play at the Power Four level, but there was no guarantee that he was even going to start at left guard next season for West Virginia. Rich Rodriguez was going to infuse competition along the offensive line, especially at the guard spots, so to see an SEC school that has hopes of competing for a playoff spot take a chance on a guy who isn't a locked-in starter is a bit of an eyebrow raiser.
Haslam did show some promise toward the back half of 2025, particularly in that three-game stretch where WVU beat Houston and Colorado and nearly took down TCU. The one play most will remember him by resulted in a penalty, although it showed a level of grit and determination that was lacking in that offensive line group all season. He picked up Diore Hubbard and carried him forward over the first down marker, which, of course, is an illegal play.
He ended the season allowing just four pressures, four hurries, and no sacks, earning a 74.7 pass pro grade by the folks over at Pro Football Focus. He will have one year of eligibility remaining.
Tracking where former West Virginia Mountaineers are transferring to
RB Cyncir Bowers ----> UConn
RB Jahiem White ----> North Texas
WR Rodney Gallagher III ----> Arizona
WR Christian Hamilton ----> Marshall
WR Oran Singleton ----> Tulsa
WR Cam Vaughn ----> Miami
OL Xavier Bausley ----> Marshall
OL Donovan Haslam ----> Tennessee
OL Robby Martin ----> Marshall
DL Asani Redwood ----> South Florida
DL Hammond Russell IV ----> Wisconsin
EDGE Curtis Jones Jr. ----> Virginia Tech
EDGE MarShon Oxley ----> South Florida
LB Ben Bogle ----> Arkansas
S Israel Boyce ----> South Florida
S Jason Cross Jr. ----> North Texas
S Zae Jennings ----> Buffalo
S Chris Fileppo ----> Penn State
K Ethan Head ----> Troy
P Aidan Stire ----> Akron
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Schuyler Callihan is the publisher of West Virginia On SI and has been a trusted source covering the Mountaineers since 2016. He is the host of Between The Eers, The Walk Thru Game Day Show, and In the Gun Podcast. The Wheeling, WV native moved to Charlotte, North Carolina in 2020 to cover the Charlotte Hornets and Carolina Panthers.
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