The Cornerback Group is One of the Biggest Unknowns for WVU Entering 2026

Rod West will have his work cut out for him with so many new faces in his room this fall.

WVU Athletics Communications

We roll on with our WVU football position previews by breaking down the cornerback group. Our final positional preview (safeties) will be published later this week.

Offensive previews

Quarterbacks | Running Backs | Wide Receivers | Tight Ends | Offensive Line

Defensive previews

Edge Rushers | Defensive Line | Linebackers | Nickel/Sams

Projected depth chart 

Coach: Rod West (2nd year)

R-Sr Chams Diange (6'3", 208 lbs) — Atlanta, GA
JR Nick Taylor (6'1", 193 lbs) — Atlanta, GA
R-SO Jaire Rawlison (5'9", 183 lbs) — York, PA
JR Keyshawn Robinson (5'11", 193 lbs) — Ranson, WV
JR Da'Mun Allen (6'3", 203 lbs) — Sanford, FL
R-Fr ChaMarryus Bomar (5'10", 194 lbs) — Duncan, SC
R-Jr Rayshawn Reynolds Jr. (6'3", 188 lbs) — Montgomery, AL
FR Vincent Smith (6'1", 215 lbs) — Orlando, FL
FR Makhi Boone (6'0", 168 lbs) — Elyria, OH
FR Simaj Hill (6'0", 184 lbs) — Philadelphia, PA
R-Jr Jayden Bell (5'10", 160 lbs) — Fort Lauderdale, FL

First up: Chmas Diagne, Nick Taylor

WVU Athletics Communications

Chams Diagne

The staff really likes what they've seen out of the Georgia State transfer. He towers over everyone else in the room, and with his length, he'll be able to match up with anyone in the Big 12. With the Panthers last season, he allowed just 19 catches for 241 yards and no touchdowns. The one area he has to improve this fall is tackling. He whiffed seven times in 2025, leading to an extremely high missed tackle rate of 25.7%.

Nick Taylor

Taylor saw limited action last year with WVU, primarily at safety. He moves down to corner, but this is not foreign territory for him by any means. He played there in high school and played 147 snaps there as a true freshman at Appalachian State two years ago. Taylor isn't as big as Diagne, but he's got good size and plays with an incredible amount of physicality. In 18 career games, Taylor has logged 30 tackles, one pass defended, and one pick.

Fighting for rotation spot

WVU Footbal

ChaMarryus Bomar

Bomar saw just 10 snaps last year as a true freshman, seven of which came in the regular season finale blowout loss to Texas Tech. Experience is lacking, but he can really run, just like his brother, wide receiver Armoni Weaver-Bomar. He has good ball skills, having been a former two-way player, also playing receiver in high school. As a senior, he has 27 tackles and five interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns.

Jaire Rawlison

Rawlison is the outlier of the group for sure. The staff intentionally targeted length in the portal, but loved Rawlison's tape so much that they were able to move past his 5'9" stature, and it's easy to see why. He might not be very tall, but he doesn't play like someone who is 5'9". He has a physicality to him and knows how to get up in a receiver's grill and deliver some big hits. He is the most experienced corner West Virginia has, logging 845 career snaps on defense.

Da'Mun Allen

After a stellar 2025 campaign with Hutchinson Community College, Allen was named an All-Kansas Junior and Community College All-Conference First Team Cornerback. In 11 games, he tallied 28 tackles (16 solo) while picking off four passes and getting his hands on a couple of others.

Rayshawn Reynolds Jr.

Reynolds was a teammate of Da'Mun Allen's at Hutch CC, who played for the junior college national title. They helped form one of the top secondaries at the JUCO level, stifling nearly every passing attack. Reynolds had 20 tackles and one interception last fall.

Keyshawn Robinson

Robinson saw limited action scattered throughout the 2025 season and did okay. He is one of the faster corners West Virginia has, so even if he's unable to carve out a role in the rotation, he will have an impact on the special teams unit, which is where he made his living last fall. The Jefferson HS product was a AAA All-State Defensive Back as a senior.

Developmental pieces

Vincent Smith

The players: Vincent Smith, Makhi Boone, Simaj Hill, Jayden Bell

Vincent Smith is the one to watch out of this group. He has the size, the skill, and the mental makeup to be able to make an impact in some capacity as a freshman. It's to be determined if he will be a part of the rotation at corner, but he has an extremely bright future and will be a huge piece of Zac Alley's defense moving forward.

Once Makhi Boone fills out his frame, he will play his way into a role too. The skill is there.