INSTITUTE, W.Va. -- Yellow Jackets Football brings in a total of 64 new athletes for its 2026 roster. Out of those 64, 49 are high school seniors moving to the next level, and 15 are transfers from other institutions. Here is what Head Coach John Pennington had to say about his incoming athletes on National Signing Day.

"We are excited to announce our 2026 National Signing Day recruiting class! This is the biggest recruiting class we've had here in a long time and I want to commend our coaching staff for their hard work and authenticity throughout the recruiting process. I also want to think the WVSU faculty and staff for helping us show recruits and their families our incredible University.
 

We have 45 commits who are signing today to become student-athletes at WVSU! Of those 45 commits, 40 of them have a 3.0 or better. I think that is a great gauge into the kind of young men we are bringing to WVSU. We placed a HEAVY emphasis on the mentality of the young men we were recruiting, the overall fit with our institution, and the culture of our football program.
 

In this class, we were able to sign a lot of local talent. We signed 8 players from WV and a total of 22 from neighboring states (VA, OH, MD, and KY). We also signed 8 players from the state of Florida, 2 from Delaware, and 1 each from Michigan, South Carolina, and Texas.
 

We didn't graduate a whole lot of players from last season, but we still had some holes to fill and needed to add depth at all positions. Along with the 45 commits from today, we signed and enrolled 16 mid-year transfers to supply immediate help at certain positions, specifically in the secondary (5) where we lost the most players from last season.
 

Overall, this is easily the best recruiting class we've ever had here at WVSU and I could not be more proud of our staff for their ability to find not only great players, but the right fit for our football program and University as a whole. Yellow Jacket Nation, please welcome the newest members of our football family!"


Full Recruiting Board

HIGH SCHOOL COMMITS	POSITION	HEIGHT	WEIGHT	HIGH SCHOOL	HOMETOWN
Adkins, Benji	TE	6'6	235	Chapmanville (WV)	Harts, WV
Baskerville, Zion	TE	6'3	205	William Fleming (VA)	Roanoke, VA
Brownlee, Christopher	RB	6'1	225	Swartz Creek (MI)	Flint, MI
Burke, Elijah	RB	6'1"	210	Saint Mark's (DE)	Middletown, DE
Butler, Maurice	LB	6'2	225	Edgewood (MD)	Edgewood, WD
Carter, Jonathan	OL	6'3	305	Portsmouth (OH)	Portsmouth, OH
Clary, Preston	WR	6'2	180	Woodrow Wilson (WV)	Beckley, WV
Combs, DJ	WR	5'11	165	Poca (WV)	Cross Lanes, WV
Cunningham, Derian	QB	5'11"	180	Middletown (DE)	Middletown, DE
DeSantis, Will	DL	6'3	240	Fork Union	Parkton, MD
Dakiyia, Lansana	CB	5'10	185	Smyrna (DE)	Smyrna, DE
Edens, Bradley	DL	5'11"	280	Cabell Midland (WV)	Ona, WV
Fleming, Josiah	DB	6'1	175	Patrick Henry (VA)	Roanoke, VA
Golding, Samuel	OL	6'7	290	Iowa Colony (TX)	Rosharon, TX
Gonzales, Jovanny	LB	5'10	200	William Fleming (VA)	Roanoke, VA
Green, Stanley	DL	6'4	250	Lake Brantley (FL)	Oviedo, FL
Groves, Bobby	WR	6'1	180	Saint Mark's (DE)	Middletown, DE
Harmon, David (DJ)	LB	5'11	205	Palm Beach Central (FL)	Altamonte Springs, FL
Hill, Jayden	OL	5'9	260	Nitro (WV)	Charleston, WV
Hughes, Elijah	RB	6'0	225	EC Glass (VA)	Lynchburg, VA
Hutchins, Jejuan	LB	5'11	210	Benedictine (VA)	Colonial Heights, VA
Lawton, Blake	DB	5'10	175	Arundel (MD)	Gambrills, MD
Lewis, Colton	OL	6'6	305	Atherton (KY)	Louisville, KY
Lilly, Reece	QB	6'5	205	St. Albans (WV)	Tornado, WV
Manor, Duane (DJ)	WR	6'2	180	Miami Central (FL)	Opa-Locka, FL
McDuffie, Kayden	LB	6'0	208	Meade (MD)	Fort Meade, MD
Mickens, Cedric	DL	6'2	300	Palm Beach Gardens (FL)	West Palm Beach, FL
Morris, Makhi	OL	6'2	330	Atherton (KY)	Louisville, KY
Murphy, Kaden	RB	5'9	190	Dawson Bryant (OH)	Coal Grove, OH
Nsungula, Ramazani	OLB	6'2	210	Pickerington Central (OH)	Pickerington, OH
Ojo, Joseph	DL	6'4	225	Arundel (MD)	Odenton, MD
Otero-Gray, Deleon	DB	6'0	170	St. Charles (MD)	Waldorf, MD
Otis, Guyton	OLB	6'0	200	Miami Central (FL)	Miramar, FL
Owens, Jack	OL	6'5	280	New Braunfels, TX	New Braunfels, TX
Parsons, Tytan	TE	6'4	205	Parkersburg (WV)	Vienna, WV
Patterson, Amauri	WR	5'8	160	Milford Mill (MD)	Milford Mill, MD
Roberts, Dwayne	WR	6'0	190	William Fleming (VA)	Roanoke, VA
Quinton, Cooper	OL	6'2	290	East Lake (FL)	Tarpon Springs, FL
Sauvernson, Paul	DL	6'4	245	Glades Central (FL)	Belle Glade, FL
Shepherd, Mason	DL	6'4	235	Eastern (OH)	Coolville, OH
Simpson, Antonio	DL	6'2	230	Pahokee (FL)	Pahokee, FL
Stroud, Ke'Aaron	OL	6'0	260	Trotwood (OH)	Dayton, OH
Thacker, Phillip	TE	6'3	210	Chesapeake (OH)	Chesapeake, OH
Toussaint, Emmanuel	DB	6'0	185	Atlantic (FL)	West Palm Beach, FL
Watson, Jayvion	WR	5'10	180	North Point (MD)	Waldorf, MD
Whitehead, Jhison	DL	6'1	295	Hermitage (VA)	Ashland, VA
Whitfield, Julian	DB	6'0	170	Ashley Ridge (SC)	Summerville, SC
Wise, Jeremiah	WR	5'10	170	Colonial Forge (VA)	Stafford, VA
Whipp, Kane	OL	6'0	270	Martinsburg (WV)	Martinsburg, WV
TRANSFERS	POSITION	HEIGHT	WEIGHT	PREVIOUS SCHOOL	HOMETOWN
Almonord, Gaby	DB	6'0	180	Concord	Deerfield Beach, FL
Borders, Jawesley	TE	6'2	210	Avila	Avon, IN
Demps, Semaj	WR	5'7	160	FIU	Belle Glade, FL
Floyd, Quan	CB	5'11	175	Georgia Military	Kingsland, GA
Geter, Jaylen	DB	5'11	205	West Georgia	Newnan, GA
Griffin, Shoka	RB	5'10	210	Bluefield College	Muncie, IN
Hughes, Walter	OL	6'0	320	NOVA CC	Woodbridge, VA
Jackson, Jacob	LB	5'10	215	Charleston Southern	Grove Town, GA
Jaf-Ogunlayi, Similoluwa	RB	5'8	170	Rio Grande	Pataskala, OH
Johnson, Kian	WR/CB	5'8	175	Temple	West Palm Beach, FL
Kalitsnik, Justin	LB	6'0	220	Old Dominion	Milford, PA
McGhee, Latrell	CB	6'0	185	Peru State	Pensacola, FL
Poriah, Seth	OLB	6'0	240	West Liberty	Westfield, IN
Self, Desmon	OL	6'4	275	Edward Waters	Delray Beach, FL
Smith, Trevyn	DB	6'0	195	Louisburg College	Orange Park, FL