West Virginia Football: Player ratings if NCAA Football 19 existed
By Phil Poling
Defensive Line
Mountaineer coordinator Tony Gibson’s scheme isn’t your typical base defense. Instead of the usual 7-man front, whether 4-3 or 3-4, Gibson deploys a 3-3-5 formation. This keeps the team flexible in the secondary to combat heavy passing attacks. It begins with the three-man line, though.
Ezekiel Rose, Left End | 84 OVR: Ezekiel Rose made waves in Morgantown during the 2017 season after transferring from East Mississippi C.C., better known as, “Last Chance U.” Many are anticipating the senior to have a breakout campaign for the Mountaineers in 2018 after leading the team in sacks his lone season on campus.
Reese Donahue, Right End | 85 OVR: Reese Donahue, the 6-foot-4 junior, has 13 starts under his belt with reps in 25 career games. With a lot of shuffling on the defensive front over the past two seasons in Morgantown, Donahue continues to be a staple of consistency for the Mountaineers.
Darius Stills, Nose Tackle | 81 OVR: Clogging up the middle of Gibson’s defense in 2018 will be West Virginia-native Darius Stills. He provided depth at the position as a freshman and is expected to start following an unexpected departure. Stills is also a breakout candidate for the ‘Eers.
Key Reserves: Kenny Bigelow, Jr. (81), Dante Stills (79), Jabril Robinson (79)