West Virginia's Secondary Just Got a Whole Lot Better with the Addition of Vincent Smith

The newest addition to the West Virginia secondary, Vincent Smith, could potentially be one of the top players from this year's recruiting class. Let's take a closer look at his game now that his signature is in.

CB Vincent Smith's Recruiting Profile

Follow him on X: @vincentxii__

Height: 6'2" Weight: 200

Hometown: Orland Park, IL

High School: Carl Sandburg

Other offers: Eastern Michigan, Illinois State, Iowa, Iowa State, Kentucky, Northern Illinois, Purdue, Toledo, USC.

Scouting Report

The one thing (or things) West Virginia's cornerback group lacked this past season was size and length. Vincent Smith checks both of those boxes. Depending on what happens in the transfer portal, he will be the biggest corner the Mountaineers will have signed in recent memory. He plays the ball well in the air without interfering and is not all that handsy, which proves he trusts his technique and ability to make a play on the ball. He's definitely someone who can be trusted in man coverage.

In addition to playing smothering coverage, Smith is pretty stout in run support as well, making plays on the perimeter, shutting them down before they turn into an explosive play. One of his most impressive plays was a tackle he made where he ran nearly the entire width of the field to chase down the ball carrier. Plays with great effort and has a swagger to his game.

Projected Playing Time

The Mountaineers are going to have to completely rebuild the cornerback room, and while I don't expect WVU's staff to lean on this freshman class much in 2026, Smith is the only one who could probably step in and have a role from day one. Ideally, West Virginia has three reliable options ahead of him, so he's not thrown directly into the fire. Playing cornerback as a true freshman is a tough feat, especially in this league where the talent of receivers is always top-notch.

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.