West Virginia Football: Ezekiel Rose the answer for Mountaineers’ defensive line
This defense for West Virginia football is expected to hold the Mountaineers back this year, but defensive end Ezekiel Rose might have a different say.
West Virginia football may have the biggest imbalance between the outlook for the offense and the defense in 2018. Led by senior quarterback Will Grier and senior wide receiver David Sills V, the offense could be among the best in the nation this year. Meanwhile, the defense is searching for answers beyond guys like linebacker David Long.
The departures of safety Kyzir White and linebacker Al-Rasheed Benton definitely hurt the Mountaineers’ defense for the upcoming season. Now, they’ll have to turn to some newer faces to step up, like defensive end Ezekiel Rose. Few players on the West Virginia defense meet the eye test as a potential breakout player for the 2018 campaign quite like Rose.
Starting along the defensive line for the Moutaineers should be Rose, defensive end Reese Donahue, and defensive tackle Darius Stills. Fellow defensive end, rising junior Adam Shuler, should also figure into the line rotation for West Virginia this year.
Last season, Rose actually led the team in sacks with five. He also intercepted one pass, deflected two passes and forced a fumble. His versatility truly came to the forefront last year, and his name should gain more attention in 2018. The next best in the sack department for the Mountaineers was Long, who racked up 3.5 on the season.
This West Virginia pass rush needs a lot of help in 2018 to keep the Mountaineers in contention for a Big 12 Championship. The Mountaineers have the tools necessary on the offensive side of the ball to compete with almost anyone across the country. Yet, West Virginia needs more players like Rose to step up this fall.
If Rose gets a full healthy season in the spotlight under his belt in 2018, he could find himself with All-Big 12 honors by the end of the 2018 slate. He’s got the size and strength to compete with really any offensive lineman he could go up against.
Next: 2019 NFL Mock Draft: Way too early edition
This year is also big for Rose because now is when he needs to establish himself as a legit NFL prospect. The type of numbers he posted while being overshadowed last year signals that he could be a solid pickup in the 2019 NFL Draft. He just doesn’t have the exposure nationally to get to that point of relevance yet to NFL scouts. He’ll be special come this fall, though.