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West Virginia Football: Top 5 spring 2022 breakout candidates

By Daniel Walsh

MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE - DECEMBER 31: Sam James #13 of the West Virginia Mountaineers signals first down during a game against Army Black Knights at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium on December 31, 2020 in Memphis, Tennessee. The Mountaineers defeated the Black Knights 24-21. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE - DECEMBER 31: Sam James #13 of the West Virginia Mountaineers signals first down during a game against Army Black Knights at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium on December 31, 2020 in Memphis, Tennessee. The Mountaineers defeated the Black Knights 24-21. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /
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Sep 26, 2020; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers defensive end Jared Bartlett (50) punches the ball from Oklahoma State Cowboys running back Chuba Hubbard (30) during the second half at Boone Pickens Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Ferguson-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 26, 2020; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers defensive end Jared Bartlett (50) punches the ball from Oklahoma State Cowboys running back Chuba Hubbard (30) during the second half at Boone Pickens Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Ferguson-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Jared Bartlett

Let’s get one thing straight, Jared Bartlett is an absolute stud. If you watched any WVU football games last season he would have stood out to you. Like the dude took over the game against Virginia Tech and won Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week.

Bartlett has only gotten better every year and I believe in him taking another big leap to become the next standout defensive player at WVU. Say what you want about Neal Brown, but the man can coach up defensive guys, and with Bartlett gaining more experience he should become a solid playmaker for a team that’ll need it with the departure of Akheem Mesidor.

Every good defense needs a disruptor, someone who’s constantly around the ball causing havoc and mucking everything up. I think that Bartlett will be that guy this year. His stats from his previous seasons with the Mountaineers certainly don’t jump out and his play can be inconsistent. However, a couple of times a game he makes a play here and there that shows that if he could put it all together, he’d be a problem for opposing teams.

And, well folks, the 2022 football season is the year Bartlett puts it all together to produce a wonderfully productive defensive season.

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