WVU Football Signing Class Superlatives: Crown Jewel, Most Underrated, Freak Athlete + More

The first day of the early signing period is in the books, and while much of the group is in place, Rich Rodriguez and his staff are working hard on adding a few more pieces before the end of Friday. It may be a little too early to get into the class superlatives, but what the heck? Let's just do it anyway.

The crown jewel - OL Kevin Brown

If your pick is Matt Sieg or Amari Latimer, I can't disagree with you, as both are really talented players. But I'm going with the guy who I believe is not only a day one starter but someone who could end up being a first round draft pick in a few years, in Kevin Brown. Just a dominant right tackle who is allergic to allowing pressure in pass pro and is flat out impressive in the run game. His athleticism is off the charts.

Most underrated - WR Malachi Thompson

I'll rock with one of the in-state kids here in Malachi Thompson out of Nitro. He's a legit vertical threat, who high points the football and wins more than his fair share of 50/50 balls. The size and strength are already there for him to have a chance to play early, so I have to imagine that he was just severely overlooked in the recruiting process. Could develop into a rock-solid third or so option over time.

Fastest - WR Keon Hutchins

One of the top receivers in all of JUCO football, and his speed is a big reason why. He's a legit 4.2-4.3 runner, making him one of the fastest players in all of college football. It's been a long time since the Mountaineers had a player who could run that well. He brings something to the wide receiver room that it lacked this past season — the ability to take the top off a defense.

Freakish Athlete - RB Amari Latimer

This was a massive signing day flip, getting Latimer to switch from his pledge to Wisconsin. The 6-foot, 228-pounder is a handful when he gets downhill, forcing some defenders to make a business decision. He doesn't have top-end speed, but he can still run by you and beat you to the edge. Very few backs his age have an NFL body, but he's one of them. Not only can he plow through you or run by you, but he also can make contested, athletic catches downfield in the passing game. Feels like an immediate impact type of player.

Mr. Hard Edge - OL Camden Goforth

I don't know what's more impressive with Goforth — him squatting and deadlifting insanely heavy weights like it's a toothpick, or that he buries defenders into the ground almost every snap. You want to talk about a tone setter, well, here's your guy. He plays with a mean streak and has violent hands, which play a role in his ability to just fling people around. This is a guy who will turn into a fan favorite. He's everything you'd expect from a Rich Rod offensive lineman.

Late Bloomer - OL Jonas Muya

A former basketball player, who is still relatively new to football, having only picked the sport up within the last year. As you can imagine, he's incredibly raw, but my goodness, the potential is through the roof for this young man. Basketball players typically have really good feet, and that's no different here with Muya. He moves really well laterally and can do some nice things out in space as a lead blocker. It may take him a couple of years to get in position to see legit playing time, but the sky is the limit for this 6'7", 292-pound beast.

Best Name - RB SirPaul Cheeks

Was there any doubt? I mean, we can all act like we're five years old for a minute, right? But even the name SirPaul is extremely rare. To top it off, he also goes by "Jesus in Cleats," which makes West "By God" Virginia a perfect fit. I'm going to go out on a limb here and predict that Mr. Cheeks is a popular jersey purchase over the next handful of years.