As WVU prepares for their fifth season as a member of the Big 12, West Virginia’s incoming 2016 class features two things that have given it quite a bit of success in the past — a play-making wide receiver from Maryland and someone with the last name ‘White.’
The Mountaineers announced their 27-player recruiting class Wednesday, a group headlined by Reisterstown, Md., wide receiver Steven Smothers and defensive back Kyzir White.
“We had a successful day today,” West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen said. “I know everybody across the country is saying the same thing, but for the first time since I’ve been here, there have been no surprises.”
Between his home state and relatively small stature (5-9 and 154 pounds), Smothers has consistently drawn comparisons to former West Virginia standout Tavon Austin, who was selected by the St. Louis Rams with the eighth pick in the 2013 NFL draft. A two-time first-team all-state honoree, he finished his high school career with 65 touchdowns and 20.3 yards per catch.
White is one of two West Virginia signees in the class rated as a four-star prospect by Rivals.com, with the other being Saint Clairsville, Ohio, linebacker Brendan Ferns. A transfer from Lackawanna College, White is the youngest brother of Kevin White, a former West Virginia standout who is now a wide receiver with the Chicago Bears, and Ka’Raun White, a wide receiver who just finished his sophomore season with the Mountaineers.
The class also includes two WPIAL products in North Hills offensive lineman Jacob Buccigrossi and Freeport linebacker Logan Thimons, the latter of whom was selected to the Post-Gazette Fabulous 22 in 2015. Both Buccigrossi and Thimons enrolled at the university last month.
The Mountaineers’ haul — 14 offensive players, 12 defensive players and one specialist — is rated by Rivals as the 39th-best class in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Among Big 12 schools, it ranks fifth.
