This WVU Summer Enrollee Has the Best Chance to See the Field in 2026

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West Virginia head football coach Rich Rodriguez is not afraid to play true freshmen, as we all know. And this fall, we will certainly see at least ahandful of them playing significant roles, such as running back Amari Latimer, offensive lineman Kevin Brown, and safety Matt Sieg.

Others will work their way into the mix, but who of the 12 freshman that enrolled in the summer has the best chance to see the field?

I am going to go with cornerback Vincent Smith (6'1", 218 lbs) out of Sandburg High School in Orchard Park, Illinois.

I am a big believer in his skill set, while also seeing the cornerback group as one that has potentially the biggest question marks of any position group on the roster. If there were a spot where a true freshman who arrived late could make an impact, it has to be a place where playing time will be available, and if West Virginia can't find an answer for their second starting cornerback spot, Smith could be one of many who get rotated into the game.

Because he didn't arrive until the summer and has yet to go through an actual practice in the system, it's going to take some time for him to get caught up to speed and be comfortable in this scheme, so outside of potentially appearing in those first two games against inferior competition, I wouldn't expect Smith to truly jockey for a role until the second half of the season. In addition to corner, Smith also has the ability to play safety, too. At the very least, we should see him on special teams.

But as I stated in my scouting report on Smith back in early December, he plays the ball well in the air without getting too handsy, which shows belief in his technique. If he gets beaten initially, he doesn't panic and make an egregious decision to try to save his tail. He has the speed to recover, and the length probably helps prevent him from being too grabby, knowing that he can still close in before the ball arrives.

Smith finished his senior season with 28 solo tackles, nine pass breakups, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles en route to all-conference first team honors. He chose West Virginia over offers from Eastern Michigan, Illinois State, Iowa, Iowa State, Kentucky, Northern Illinois, Purdue, Toledo, USC, and a handful of others.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/westvirginia as This WVU Summer Enrollee Has the Best Chance to See the Field in 2026.

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