Who’s the Game-Changer? Ranking WVU’s 11 JUCO Transfers by 2026 Impact

For schools like West Virginia, you can't leave any stone unturned. You have to look all over the country for talent, and at every level, including the junior college ranks, which have become less prominent over the years.

When I spoke with WVU head coach Rich Rodriguez earlier this offseason, he agreed that the JUCO level is still full of talent and could be something the staff heavily recruits every year.

“Oh, no question it’s overlooked. When the portal thing started a few years ago, everybody started looking for portal guys, and the JC guys got lost in the shuffle — not all of them, but a lot of them. And there’s some really, really good JC programs, like Hutchinson is a program we’ve recruited guys out of every year, everywhere I’ve been, and they’ve got some really good players. The other thing about it, when you get the JC guys, they’re the least spoiled of anybody you recruit. If you give them a sandwich, they’re like, ‘Are you kidding me? I get a free sandwich?’ Those guys, they come here, they see our facilities and see what you do for your players, and they’re tickled to death. But again, it’s about picking the right guys and fit what we want to do.”

The Mountaineers have eleven players joining them from the JUCO level this season. Who will have the biggest impact? I ranked all eleven of them based on a mixture of things such as talent, immediate impact, potential, projected playing time, etc.

No. 11: OL Deshawn Woods (Butler CC)

With Carsten Casday (UConn transfer) and Kevin Brown in the fold, I'm not sure Woods will see much of an opportunity on the right side. Perhaps he lines up on the left side to back up Nick Krahe. Malik Agbo also returns as another tackle option.

No. 10: DL Darius Wiley (Hutchinson CC)

I love Wiley's potential and believe he has a chance to develop into a high-caliber Big 12 player. He just needs a little more experience, especially at this level. Last year, he was named the All-Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Defensive Player of the Year after putting up 57 tackles and nine sacks.

No. 9: BAN Jeremiah Johnson (Butte CC)

Could end up having a pretty large role on defense, depending on how camp goes. WVU added to the bandit group with some intriguing transfers, so we'll see how much he factors in next fall. He totaled 34 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and 7.5 sacks as a sophomore.

No 8: CB Rayshawn Reynolds Jr. (Hutchinson CC)

Love the length that Reynolds brings, checking in at 6'3", 178 lbs. I'd imagine that he will be competing for a starting spot alongside Chams Diange and Keyshawn Robinson, opposite Da'Mun Allen.

No. 7: RB Martavious Boswell (Copiah-Lincoln CC)

Very interested to see how Boswell is used in this offense and how often. Obviously, Cam Cook is going to be the bell cow, but the Mountaineers also have a pair of freshmen that they're really excited about in Amari Latimer and Chris Talley. Boswell's elite speed will complement Cook well. Last fall, he rushed for 1,109 yards and 13 touchdowns on 130 carries.

No. 6: S Da’Mare Williams (Coffeyville CC)

Williams will be one of the three most-used safeties in WVU's secondary, joining Memphis transfer Kamari Wilson and talented true freshman Matt Sieg. He has the versatility to play both safety spots and maybe even some nickel/sam, if needed.

No. 5: DL KJ Henson (Hutchinson CC)

In just nine games, Henson racked up 41 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, five QB hurries, and two pass breakups. I initially had him playing the interior, but I think he fits better at defensive end, where he should be among those in the mix for the starting job.

No. 4: DL Jaylen Thomas (Northwest Mississippi CC)

Thomas is a massive human being and the measurements of 6'2", 313 lbs check out. Has tremendous lower body strength, good footwork, and rarely gets knocked back. He'll play a key part in slowing down the run game, mostly by clogging up running lanes and taking on double teams to open up plays for his teammates.

No. 3: WR Keon Hutchins (Northwest Mississippi CC)

One of the fastest players in all levels of college football. Rich Rod wanted to get more speed and he certainly addressed that with the addition of Hutchins. Just how fast is he? Well, he's been clocked unofficially at 4.2 in the 40-yard dash. That's booking it. He ended the 2025 season with 34 catches for 635 yards and six touchdowns.

No. 2: WR Kedrick Triplett (Pearl River CC)

The Mountaineers didn't get much production out of the slot last year. That will change in 2026 with Triplett, who worked almost exclusively out of the slot last season. Crafty route runner who has a good feel for finding the soft spots in zone coverages, while also being a big playmaker after the catch, averaging 15.9 yards per catch.

No. 1: CB Da'Mun Allen (Hutchinson CC)

I fully expect Allen to snag one of the starting corner spots and be an impact player from day one. Plays the ball well in flight, understands route concepts and doesn't get caught in a bad spot very often. Like Reynolds, his length (6'3") plays a factor on the outside, allowing him to win a lot of one-on-one matchups downfield. I may have him a little higher than most if they were to do this same exercise, but the traits are there for him to turn into a Tier 1 Big 12 corner.