The One Position Group Where WVU May Be Deeper Than Expected

West Virginia flipped essentially every position on the roster, but when it comes to the wide receivers, they truly did. Jaden Bray and Cyrus Traugh are the two lone returners, who created a lot of uncertainty heading into spring.

It may only be 15 practices, but the receiver room may be one of the most promising position groups on the entire roster. They are deeper, faster, longer, more athletic, and just flat out more talented than the previous bunch of pass catchers, with all due respect.

The top dogs

Prince Strachan: Learn the name. He's going to make a bunch of plays for the Mountaineers this fall. Yes, he's got a large frame, checking in at 6'5", 211 lbs, but he's a heck of an athlete too and can make some things happen after the catch.

Jaden Bray: The alpha of the room, as Rich Rodriguez likes to say. And I buy it. Before his injury two years ago, he was Moss'ing people left and right in fall practice, looking like a bona fide No. 1 receiver. He showed some flashes of that in the 1.5 games he played last year before he went down again. If healthy, he's going to be one of the best receivers in the league.

DJ Epps: Extremely versatile piece. Can lineup and produce at all three receiver spots. With Strachan and Bray mostly taking care of the outside. I'd expect Epps to be the starter at the slot. Super shifty and hard to tackle in tight spaces.

Mr. Reliable?

John Neider: I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Neider gives me Daikiel Shorts type of vibes — just a couple of inches taller. He's a former quarterback, so he knows what he's seeing and can read where the soft spots are on the field. Sneaky good addition here out of the portal.

Star potential

TaRon Francis: Has all of the tools to become a truly special player here. Everyone I've talked to has told me the same thing, it's just got to slow down for him. The flash and playmaking ability are already there.

Next-level speed

Keon Hutchins & Kedrick Triplett: Really intrigued to see how these two guys are used. Triplett was dynamic in the slot at the JUCO level, and Hutchins was one of the top receivers in all of JUCO and could be one of the fastest receivers in the Big 12.

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