Stock Up, Stock Down: Hawkins Becoming a Star, A Major Surprise on Defense + More

In a win like the one WVU had over Virginia, there's a whole lot of good and not a lot to knock.

Sep 19, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. (3) throws a pass during the second quarter against the Virginia Cavaliers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It was an incredible night for the West Virginia Mountaineers all the way around. Sure, it didn't look great at all times, and there are some things they would like to clean up, particularly up front on the offensive line, but overall, it was a solid performance with very little to complain about.

Let's dive into this week's stock report.

Stock Up: QB Mike Hawkins Jr.

Is this dude good or what? He's everything the coaching staff thought and more. What you saw last night was what they've known all along — he's their guy and a star in the making. He is so calm in the pocket and doesn't panic when protection breaks down. He just goes and makes something happen.

He can throw guys open as he did to DJ Epps a couple of times, but his escapability is maybe the most impressive trait of his. There were a ton of great plays last night, but there was one that really caught my eye — an incompletion. It was 2nd & 10, and Virginia had pressure in his face right away from the right side, and he made a guy miss and then chucked it out of bounds to live to see another down. A year ago, that would have been a 3rd & 18 situation for WVU.

Stock Up: CB Nick Taylor

Yes, the targeting play at the end of the game was a bad football play and one he'd like to have back, but all night long, Taylor played with an incredible amount of physicality and was lockdown in coverage. If he plays like that in Big 12 play, West Virginia's pass D is going to be in good shape on the perimeter. Great ballgame for him.

Stock Up: LB Ashton Woods

That's two really good games in a row now for Ashton Woods, who has logged 12 tackles, five pressures, five stops, and three hurries over the last two weeks. If I had to name one player who has been a major surprise thus far, it would be him.

Stock Up: Belief

The first two weeks were the first two weeks. Inferior competition; games you should win. The Mountaineers took care of business, and the consensus feeling was that we still didn't know what this WVU team was capable of. This was the measuring-stick game, and yeah, we learned a lot about this group. They are a tough, physical team that isn't going to hit the panic button when things don't go their way. WVU fans are believing in this team and program again, as they should.

Stock Down: OT Kevin Brown

The talented true freshman allowed four pressures on Saturday night, which was two more than anyone else had along the offensive line. Don't view this as a dude's stock plummeting; instead, see it as a freshman still figuring things out. He'll be just fine. I don't have any concerns with him moving forward. A slight step back is all last night was.