Filling in the Blanks

Mountaineers reel in a Top 25 recruiting class

West Virginia University signed 26 football recruits to national letters of intent on Wednesday, February 20. The 26 member class, ranked 25th nationally by Scout.com, features three junior college players and 23 former prep stars.

The class emphasized defense, especially the defensive secondary. Fifteen of the recruits will suit up on that side of the ball, including five safeties and four cornerbacks. WVU also signed a three future defensive lineman and three linebackers.

On offense, WVU signed four wide receivers, three offensive linemen, two running backs and two quarterbacks.

The class would have been ranked even higher had not Noel Devine, one of the top recruits in the nation, not decided at the last minute to attend prep school and open up his recruiting in 2008.

According to Scout.com, WVU signed four four-star recruits. They include Ellis Lancaster, a 5-11, 190 lb. cornerback out of Jones County Junior College in Ellisville, Miss., Gino Gradowski a 6-4, 275 lb. center from Pittsburgh, Pa., Junius Lewis, a 6-3, 265 defensive tackle from Morgantown, along with Charlie Russell, a 6-3, 215 lb. quarterback also from Morgantown.

Ohio produced the most future Mountaineers, six, while they received four commitments from both Florida and Pennsylvania. Three recruits hail from the Mountain State.

Top 25 Class according to Scout.com:

1. Florida

2. USC

3. Texas

4. Tennessee

5. LSU

6. Auburn

7. South Carolina

8. Pittsburgh

9. Oregon

10. Michigan

11. Notre Dame

12. California

13. Miami (Fl)

14. Georgia Tech

15. North Carolina

16. Ohio State

17. Georgia

18. Penn State

19. Illinois

20. Nebraska

21. Alabama

22. Clemson

23. Oklahoma State

24. Virginia Tech

25. WVU

West Virginia just received a 27th letter of intent on Friday, February 16. The Mountaineers decided to roll the dice and sign 6-1, 230 lb. linebacker Pat Lazear from Wheaton, Md. Lazear was convicted of conspiracy to commit an armed robbery during his junior year in high school. The incident, which occurred in March of 2006, led several college programs to back off Lazear. But, WVU, after thorough research, according to head coach Rich Rodriguez, decided to extend Lazear a scholarship.

"Coach Bill Stewart and I have researched Pat's entire situation over several months," Rodriguez said. "We have talked to a number of people, and after a thorough review, I am reassured that Pat Lazear will be a successful student-athlete and a positive member of the university community."