MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Thirty one student-athletes have signed national letters-of-intent to play football at West Virginia University, head coach Rich Rodriguez announced today. Overall, the coach is pleased with the group of players his coaching staff was able lure to Morgantown.

	West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez addresses a large gathering at the Milan Puskar Center Wednesday afternoon to announce the 2005 signing class. All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks photo

“I’m excited about our recruiting class and if it gets our fans excited about guys coming in, to me, that is a good thing,” Rodriguez said.

The coach indicated that there are several players in this group that could possibly compete for playing time as early as next fall when they arrive on campus.

“I don’t know how many of them will play as freshmen but there are probably more that will play quicker now simply because we lost 22 seniors and two juniors,” Rodriguez said.

“We’re finding out that more and more kids are prepared physically in their first year than maybe they have been in the past,” Rodriguez added. “But mentally is the big thing for the new guys.”

The Mountaineers landed top prospects from 11 different states including seven each from Pennsylvania and Florida, four from West Virginia, three from Maryland, two each from New York, Ohio and Louisiana and one from Alabama, North Carolina, Georgia and Virginia.

“Some of these (recruits) will be greyshirted -- in other words they will probably defer enrollment until January,” said West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez. “Obviously you’re only allowed 25 in a given class. There will probably be two or three that will not qualify that will still come to West Virginia and sit out as a non-qualifer.

“There is still the possibility of one or two being added to this year’s class as well,” he added.

The 31-player class is broken down into five defensive backs, four linebackers, three wide receivers, three quarterbacks, three running backs, two defensive ends, two offensive linemen, two specialists, two tight ends, two athletes, one fullback and one defensive lineman.

“Our staff did a good job and we addressed our needs which is the number one thing you need to do,” Rodriguez said. “The things we look for are obviously they’ve got to have talent, work ethic, attitude, academics and character. We also look at their growth potential. All those things are factored before we offer a recruit.”

Rodriguez says his staff recruited a lot of versatile players that can play several different positions. “Most of the positions we have them listed as are what we project them at this fall,” he said.

The coach noted that his staff goes through an extensive process before a recruit is offered a scholarship.

“We watch every guy on film and we have an evaluation process where the recruiting coach, the position coach, the recruiting coordinator and the head coach all have to approve them before we offer them a scholarship,” Rodriguez said.

The coach also noted that two current members of this year’s team were awarded scholarships in senior linebacker Jeff Noechel and junior tight end Brad Palmer.

“We’re proud and excited to announce that both Brad and Jeff have been awarded athletic scholarships for this spring and next year as well,” said the coach.

2005 WVU Prospect Biographies

Quinton Andrews
5-11, 185, DB, Opa Locka, Fla./Monsignor Pace

First team Class 3A all-state defensive back playing for coach Joe Zaccheo at Monsignor Pace High School … two-time all-Dade County … Orlando Sentinel Florida Top 100 list (No. 38) … Miami Herald Dade County Top 25 list (No. 12) … played in the Dade-Broward County All-Star game … PrepStar East all-region … Rivals.com No. 22-rated safety … Rivals.com No. 53-rated player in Florida … Scout.com No. 41-rated safety … Scout.com No. 79-rated player in Florida … made 85 tackles, three interceptions and two forced fumbles as a senior … also caught 26 passes for 637 yards and eight scores … played on the Florida 3A state championship team as a junior, scoring 10 touchdowns … played on a state championship basketball team as a sophomore and is a track letterman … son of Laurela Andrew and Kelvin Baye … plans on studying engineering.

Scooter Berry
6-2, 225, FB, North Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon

Two-time Newsday all-Long Island team playing for Coach Terry Manning at North Babylon High School … three-time all-county and twice all-state … helped North Babylon to a 10-1 record and the Long Island Class II championship … 68 tackles and seven sacks as a senior … produced 1,341 career rushing yards and 20 touchdowns … rated 52nd in the East by Tom Lemming … PrepStar All-American (top 300 players in the nation) … Rivals.com No. 15-rated player in New York … Scout.com No. 16-rated player in New York … played fullback on offense … half brother of WVU signee Jason Gwaltney … son of Richard Berry and Renetta Wise … wants to study criminology.

Jetavious Best
5-10, 185, RB, West Palm Beach, Fla./Palm Beach Lakes

Palm Beach Post large school player of the year … Florida Sun-Sentinel large school all-country first team … Palm Beach Post area top recruit list … Class 6A second-team all-state running back … rushed for 1,246 yards, accumulated 543 receiving yards and scored a county-best 19 touchdowns … ran a kickoff 84 yards for a touchdown to beat No. 1-ranked Deerfield Beach in the Class 6A regional semifinals … averaged 150 yards and scored 10 touchdowns in three playoff games … ran for 1,200 yards and scored 12 touchdowns as a junior … played in the Outback Bowl … helped Coach Dan Sanso’s Rams to an 8-2 record and the Class 6A state quarterfinals … son of Ella McRae … plans on studying business.

Ryan Brinson
5-10, 180, Ath, Canton, Ohio/Canton McKinley

AP Ohio Class 6A co-offensive player of the year … Stark County player of the year … two-time AP first-team Division I all-Ohio … set a Canton McKinley record with 4,772 career yards and 336 points … ran for more than 2,400 yards and scored 29 touchdowns as a senior … helped Canton McKinley to the Ohio Division I state championship game … ran for 202 yards and scored three touchdowns in a 20-7 victory over rival Massillon in the season finale … threw a halfback pass for a touchdown against Glenville High School to help McKinley get to the state title game … the top three rushing games in McKinley history belong to Brinson, including a career-high 339 yards … SuperPrep Magazine No. 117-rated player in Midwest … PrepStar Midwest all-region … No. 34-rated player in Ohio by Rivals.com … No. 33-rated player in Ohio by Scout.com … No. 91-rated cornerback by Scout.com … three-year track letterman who also plays basketball … son of Felicia Smith … plans on majoring in broadcast journalism.

Jarrett Brown
6-3, 210, QB, West Palm Beach, Fla./Palm Beach Lakes

Florida Times-Union Florida Super 75 team (No. 4-rated QB) … Orlando Sentinel Florida Top 100 list (No. 60) … Florida Sun-Sentinel Palm Beach County player of the year … Palm Beach Post large school first team all-county … Palm Beach Post area top recruit list … Class 6A first-team all-state quarterback … led Coach Dan Sanso’s Rams to an 8-2 record and the state quarterfinals … rated 74th in the Southeast by Tom Lemming … SuperPrep Magazine No. 69-rated player in Florida … PrepStar Southeast all-region … Rivals.com No. 12-rated dual-threat quarterback … Scout.com No. 30-rated quarterback … Scout.com No. 51-rated player in Florida … Rivals.com No. 60-rated player in Florida … passed for 1,800 and 18 touchdowns while adding 485 yards on the ground as a senior … had more than 7,100 passing yards and 73 touchdowns … Outback Bowl … Florida 101 … Lou Groza player of the year finalist … also a standout basketball player … son of James and Sherry Brown … plans on majoring in business.

Darren Brownlee
6-2, 185, WR, Boyds, Md./Northwest

Washington Post second-team all-metro … Washington Post Top 44 prospects (Bronze team) … Maryland Big School second-team all-state … Gazette second-team all-county … played for the Maryland Class 3A state champions at Northwest High School for Coach Randy Trivers … SuperPrep Magazine No. 35-rated player in Mid-Atlantic Region … caught 45 passes for 670 yards and five touchdowns as a senior … had 105 career receptions for 1,526 yards and 18 touchdowns … Michael Cornejo Award … state qualifier in high hurdles, high jump and long jump … son of Willie and Darlene Brownlee … plans on studying engineering.

Jeremy Bruce
5-9, 185, WR, Beaver Falls, Pa./Blackhawk

Harrisburg Patriot Platinum 33 team … Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Fabulous 22 team … Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Terrific 25 team … Tribune-Review Class 3A all-star team … two-time AP Class 3A first-team all-state … team captain for Coach Joe Hamilton, gaining 3,600 career rushing, 600 receiving and 6,000 all-purpose yards at Blackhawk High School … PrepStar East all-region … SuperPrep Magazine No. 20-rated player in Pennsylvania … Rivals.com No. 36-rated player in Pennsylvania … Scout.com No. 48-rated player in Pennsylvania … led Blackhawk High School to the WPIAL Class 3A semifinals for the second consecutive year … ran for 1,280 yards and scored 17 touchdowns as a senior … rushed for 1,767 yards as a junior … state track qualifier in the 100 meters … son of Charles and Karen Bruce … plans to study sports management.

Selvish Capers
6-5, 250, TE, Kenner, La./St. Augustine

Mobile Register Super Southeast 120 Team (No. 106) … Baton Rouge Advocate 2004 Louisiana Blue Chip Team … New Orleans Times-Picayune Top 20 … Louisiana Sportswriters Class 5A first-team all-state … Times Picayune District 10 Class 5A first team all-star … selected to play in the National High School All-Star Bowl Game Classic played at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, La. … played for Coach Tyrone Payne at St. Augstine High School … SuperPrep Magazine No. 12-rated player in Louisiana … PrepStar Southeast all-region … Scout.com No. 55-rated tight end … Scout.com No. 20-rated player in Louisiana … caught 10 passes for 176 yards and scored four touchdowns … also played basketball at St. Augustine High School … son of Selvish Sr. and Deborah Capers … plans on majoring in computer engineering.

Frank Carduff
6-4, 285, OL, Shenandoah, Pa./Shenandoah Valley

Harrisburg Patriot Platinum 33 team … AP small school first-team all-state … Times-News Anthracite 8 all-star football team … produced 70 tackles and three sacks as a defensive lineman for Coach Nick Sajone … PrepStar East all-region … SuperPrep Magazine No. 28-rated player in Pennsylvania … Rivals.com No. 30-rated player in Pennsylvania … second-team small school all-state as a junior … also a baseball, basketball and track letterman … Student Council member … son of Frank and Barbara Carduff … plans on studying physical therapy.

Ed Collington
6-0, 205, Ath, Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn Hills

Harrisburg Patriot Platinum 33 team … Pittsburgh Post Gazette Fabulous 22 team … Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Terrific 25 team … Tribune-Review Class 4A all-star team … AP Class 4A second-team all-state … team captain and Penn Hills rushing record holder for Coach Neil Gordon … team was 29-7 during his career, advancing to the WPIAL semifinals three straight years … SuperPrep Magazine No. 25-rated player in Pennsylvania … Scout.com No. 36-rated running back … Scout.com No. 10-rated player in Pennsylvania … Rivals.com No. 32-rated player in Pennsylvania … second-leading rusher in the WPIAL with 1,700 yards and 22 touchdowns on 183 carries … had five 200-yard games and three four-touchdown games … ran for 238 yards and scored two touchdowns against the top team in WPIAL Central Catholic … averaged 9.2 yards per carry … ranked 26th in the state in rushing yards … finished his career with 2,975 yards … attended Steel Valley High School as a freshman before transferring to Penn Hills as a sophomore … son of Jessie Collington … plans to major in business.

Carmen Connolly
6-0, 180, DB, Pittsburgh, Pa./Seton La Salle

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Fabulous 22 team … Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Terrific 25 team … Tribune-Review Class 2A co-player of the year … first team all-state … three-year all-conference performer for Coach Lou Cerro … SuperPrep Magazine No. 31-rated player in Pennsylvania … No. 37-rated player in Pennsylvania by Scout.com … teamed with Pitt recruit Bill Stull to set the Pennsylvania single-season state record with 116 receptions, going for 1,588 yards and 15 touchdowns as a senior at Seton-La Salle High School … his 116 receptions were eighth-best nationally … led the state in both receptions and receiving yards …helped Seton-La Salle to a pair of WPIAL Class 2A titles … caught 221 passes for 3,020 yards and 31 touchdowns and also rushed for 1,092 yards and 10 scores during his prep career … a four-year starter at safety, too, who accumulated 187 tackles and 14 interceptions … also earned all-conference honors in basketball … National Honor Society … son of Tom and Donna Connolly … plans to major in computer science.

Zac Cooper
6-3, 220, LB, Weirton, W.Va./Weir

Named the Huff Award winner by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association as the state’s top defensive player … two-time AP Class 3A first team all-state …team captain at Weir High School for Coach Tony Filberto … PrepStar East all-region … SuperPrep Magazine No. 34-rated player in the Mid-Atlantic Region … Rivals.com No. 33-rated inside linebacker … Rivals.com No. 3-rated player in West Virginia … recorded 105 tackles, nine tackles for losses and two sacks … ran for more than 1,000 yards on offense and produced 105 tackles in leading Weir to the 2004 state semifinals … posted 350 career tackles … second in Weir rushing behind former WVU standout Quincy Wilson … National Honor Society … son of Thomas and Carrie Cooper … will enroll in general studies.

Ryan Dawson
6-4, 205, WR, Parkersburg, W.Va./Parkersburg South

Two-time Class 3A first-team all-state … two-year team captain at Parkersburg South for Coach Mike Devol … rated 75th in the Mid-Atlantic by Tom Lemming … PrepStar All-American (top 300 players in the nation) … SuperPrep Magazine No. 21-rated player in the Mid-Atlantic Region … Rivals.com No. 55-rated wide receiver … Rivals.com No. 2-rated player in West Virginia … Scout.com No. 73-rated wide receiver … played wide receiver, running back and quarterback at Parkersburg South, running for 340 yards and scoring nine touchdowns and catching 17 passes for 388 yards and five scores … as a quarterback he completed six of nine passes for 81 yards and a touchdown and also intercepted five passes as a defensive back … South finished the regular season with a 9-1 record and made the Class 3A playoffs for the fourth straight year … honor roll student and Herff-Jones Leadership winner … son Rick and Kathy Dawson … will enroll in general studies.

Ovid Goulborne
6-0, 205, LB, Easton, Pa./Easton Area

Easton Express-Times player of the year … played for Coach Steve Shiffert’s Rovers to the LVIAC and district championships … PrepStar East all-region … Rivals.com No. 42-rated running back … Rivals.com No. 24-rated player in Pennsylvania … Scout.com No. 48-rated running back … Scout.com No. 31-rated player in Pennsylvania … ran for 1,331 yards and 18 touchdowns as a senior and 3,332 yards and 39 touchdowns for his career at Easton Area High School, which finished this season with a 13-1 record and made the state playoff semifinals … made 45 tackles and three interceptions on defense … also excels as a sprinter on the track team … son of Nardia Bailey and Paul Goulbourne … will enroll in general studies.

Jason Gwaltney
6-1, 230, RB, North Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon

Two-time Hansen Award winner presented to Suffolk County’s most outstanding football player … two-time Newsday Long Island player of the year … played for the East team in the 78-player U.S. Army High School All-American Bowl … Parade Magazine All-American -- the second straight year West Virginia has landed a player on the Parade team (WR Brandon Barrett last year) … Long Island’s all-time leading rusher, eclipsing former WVU running back Amos Zereoue’s prep rushing records … ran for 2,880 yards and scored 45 touchdowns in 11 games as a senior to help North Babylon High School to the Class II Long Island title … produced career numbers of 7,800 yards, 135 touchdowns and 828 points … 33 of his touchdowns covered at least 40 yards and 27 went for 50 yards or longer … PrepStar All-American … SuperPrep All-American … No. 8-rated running back in the nation by SuperPrep … No. 1-rated player in New York by SuperPrep … Tom Lemming All-American … No. 6-rated player in the East and the No. 21-rated player in the nation by Lemming … Rivals.com No. 15-rated player in the nation … nation’s No. 3-rated running back and No. 1-rated player in New York by Rivals.com … No. 43-rated player in the nation and No. 8-rated running back by Scout.com … No. 2-rated player in New York by Scout.com … half brother of WVU signee Scooter Davis … son of Richard Berry and Jeanine Gwaltney … plan on majoring in criminal justice.

Trippe Hale
5-10, 190, DB, Mobile, Ala./St. Paul’s

Earned Mobile Register first-team all-region honors while playing defensive back for4 St. Paul’s Episcopal High School … Class5A all-state honorable mention … recorded 92 tackles and six interceptions while playing both safety and cornerback … three-year starting defender from St. Paul Episcopal High School for Coach Eddie Guth …Weinacker and Black Watch Awards … member of the state runner-up track team … son of Steve and Kathryn Hale … father is the executive director of the Senior Bowl … will enroll in general studies.

James Ingram
6-4, 250, DE, Cleveland Heights, Ohio/Cleveland Heights

Cleveland Plain-Dealer Cuyahoga County all-star honorable mention … three-sport standout at Cleveland Heights High school … defensive MVP for Coach Mike Jones … had 64 tackles, 14 sacks and a fumble recovery for a touchdown as a senior … also a forward on the basketball team and a shot putter in track … son of Jimmy and Iolanda Ingram … will enroll in general studies.

Scott Kozlowski
6-0, 190, P, West Palm Beach, Fla./Royal Palm Beach

Earned first-team Class 6A all-state honors while punting at Royal Palm Beach High School in Royal Palm Beach, Fla. … Palm Beach Post Large School honorable mention all-county … excelled at the OneonOne kicking expo at the Orange Bowl in Miami where he earned a scholarship offer from the Mountaineers … rated the nation’s No. 1 punter by Scout.com … averaged 46.3 yards per punt as a senior … played for Coach Eric Patterson … former Mountaineers Darren Studstill and Ryan Brady also coach at Royal Palm Beach … played high school soccer and threw the shot put and discus … son of Scott and Lisa Kozlowski … will enroll in general studies.

Patrick McAfee
6-1, 205, K, Plum, Pa./Plum

Kicked for Coach Bill Rometo at Plum High School in Pittsburgh … was noticed late while attending the OneonOne kicking expo at the Orange Bowl in Miami, where he nailed a 65-yard field goal and was named the camp’s most outstanding kicker … that performance has elevated him to regarded as the top kicking prospect in the country by Scout.com … made all seven of his field goal attempts as a senior with a long of 48 yards … earned first team all-conference honors … 2003 national punt, pass and kick champion … three-time all-WPIAL in soccer … son of Tim and Sally McAfee … will enroll in general studies.

Marquis Melvin
6-0, 200, DB, Whitesville, N.C./Whitesville

Earned all-state honors at Whiteville (N.C.) High School … No. 58-rated safety by Scout.com … Scout.com No. 21-rated player in North Carolina … No. 22-rated player in North Carolina by SuperPrep … No. 58-rated player in the Mid-Atlantic Region by Tom Lemming … one of 44 players picked to play in the 68th annual North Carolina-South Carolina Shrine Bowl played in Spartanburg, S.C. … two-way standout, totaling 713 all-purpose yards and scoring five touchdowns on offense, and recording 104 tackles and seven interceptions on defense … had 12 career interceptions … three-year basketball letterm

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