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West Virginia Football: 5 signees who’ll have an instant impact in 2018

By Andrew Miller

MORGANTOWN, WV - DECEMBER 03: Head Coach Dana Holgorsen of the West Virginia Mountaineers looks on before the game against the Baylor Bears at Mountaineer Field on December 3, 2016 in Morgantown, West Virginia. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)
MORGANTOWN, WV - DECEMBER 03: Head Coach Dana Holgorsen of the West Virginia Mountaineers looks on before the game against the Baylor Bears at Mountaineer Field on December 3, 2016 in Morgantown, West Virginia. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) /
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There’s some real potential in this developing West Virginia secondary entering 2018. Robinson spearheads a group that does lose four seniors in Marvin Gray, Kyzir White, Mike Daniels and Elijah Battle. Those are some key pieces from the Mountaineers defense last year.

However, while the Mountaineers are not accustomed to playing great defense since joining the Big 12 in 2012, they’re building up something for the next few years that could standout in the conference. Moreover, they do get rising senior safety Dravon Henry back.

The best overall defensive back in this class is four-star safety Kwantel Raines. It would be silly for West Virginia not to give Raines some serious playing time this year, unless they decide to redshirt him. But, the turnover in the secondary puts Holgorsen in a tough spot to make such a move.

As a top 20 player in the nation at his position group in this class, Raines is primed for a solid career in Morgantown. Rarely do the Mountaineers pull a talent like this to add at the safety spot. And, at 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, Raines already has the size needed to compete in Power Five contests.

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