Breaking Down What the Mountaineers Are Getting in Linebacker Antoine Sharp

The Mountaineers are dipping back into the Sunshine State for this next piece of the defense, signing linebacker Antoine Sharp.

LB Antoine Sharp's Recruiting Profile

Follow him on X: @AntoineSharpWPB

Height: 6'2" Weight: 220

Hometown: West Palm Beach, FL

High School: Palm Beach Central

Other offers: Appalachian State, East Carolina, Florida A&M, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Florida State, Georgia State, Indiana, Liberty, Marshall, Maryland, Missouri, Pitt, Tulane, UAB, UCF, UT Martin, Western Kentucky, Western Michigan.

Scouting Report

Sharp flies around all over the field and plays faster than his 4.6 40-yard dash time suggests. Some of that comes from having conviction in which gap he's deciding to attack and what move to go to. When you are prepared and know what you're going to do, you just naturally play faster because you're not thinking. For some players, that's half the battle.

I project him to be an insider backer who still has a little room to fill out, maybe adding another 5-10 pounds without dropping his play speed. I've watched a ton of high school films over the years, and he's one of the better run defenders I've seen from the linebacker spot. I truly believe he can be a high-level run stopper and someone who can also get after the passer at times. Pass coverage, however, is a question mark with such little tape on it.

Projected Playing Time

Should see some action on special teams as a true freshman and could potentially play his way into a small role at linebacker. If he does, they'll burn the redshirt and let him play the entire season. Depending on what WVU does in the transfer portal, Sharp may see a scenario where he sees limited reps in four games, takes a redshirt, and then starts working toward being in the rotation in 2027.

TUNE IN TONIGHT TO WEST VIRGINIA ON SI

Later tonight, we will have our annual National Signing Day special on our YouTube Page (West Virginia On SI). Be sure to subscribe to the channel to get a notification the second the episode drops. On this year's show, we'll be joined by offensive lineman Camden Goforth and pass rusher Noah Tishendorf. We'll offer a full breakdown of the 2026 class, discussing who could contribute or start from day one, who may need some time to develop, under-the-radar signees, and what the remaining needs are for the Mountaineers in the transfer portal.