West Virginia Football: 5 breakout candidates for spring 2019
By Phil Poling
Much like Kenny Robinson, Jr. last season, Kwantel Raines is primed for a breakout campaign in his second year on campus. The redshirt freshman from Aliquippa, Penn. only saw game action against Syracuse in 2018, affording him four more years of eligibility with the Mountaineers.
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Raines is listed at 6-foot-3 and 208 lbs. and arrived in Morgantown as a safety. But since new head coach Neal Brown took over – and installed Vic Koenning as his defensive coordinator – Raines is in the midst of a position change. Elite players are used to moving around and adjusting to new roles, though, and Raines will not only help the team, but also himself.
He’ll be used as an outside linebacker/nickel defensive back, or at the “Will” and “Spear” positions, officially. This’ll position him just off the end of the line of scrimmage, likely over top of a slot wide receiver or a tight end. Raines will be in position to blitz, bluff a blitz, or drop into coverage, and he’ll likely be asked to do all three throughout a single game. This is where Raines will put on full display his immense potential.
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If these five players are able to outperform expectations, the Mountaineers could sneak up on teams in 2019. And with a first-year head coach and a first-year starter at quarterback, they’ll need any and every advantage possible to eek out as many wins as possible.