MORGANTOWN- Once an unknown back in the spring, the WVU receiving group may have actually become a strength over the last few months of work.
The lack of experience along with very few returning, experienced options had fans and coaches wondering if the Mountaineers would have any semblance of a passing game. However, those questions have, at least in the eyes of the insiders close to the program, been answered.
Leading the way for the 2025 receiver room is Jacksonville State transfer Cam Vaughn. Vaughn has been named a Biletnikoff Award candidate after a stellar freshman season under Rich Rodriguez in 2024. In their bowl game last season, Vaughn finished with nine catches, 183 yards, and a touchdown versus Ohio. Ironically, the Mountaineers play at Ohio in the second game of this coming season. Rodriguez recently said that Vaughn hasn’t even scratched the surface of his potential but will still be an extremely big producer on the outside.
The sleeper of this whole group may be Jayden Bray. Bray played for the Mountaineers a season ago after transferring from Oklahoma State and drew rave reviews in the preseason last year frequently. But he couldn’t stay healthy and outside from a 50-yard catch in the latter part of the season, he was a non-factor. This season, however, Bray is fresh and ready to go. He loves the new staff and the offense WVU will run and feels he can flourish in the system. In 2023 at OSU, Bray hauled in 30 receptions for 382 yards and two scores. One of those scores and 52 of those yards came against West Virginia. The talent is there for Bray to excel. Will is health be?
Other receivers on the outside who make the position deep are Justin Smith-Brown, Christian Hamilton, and Preston Fox. Jeff Weimer, a talented transfer from Idaho State, was expected to play an important role in the offense, but on Tuesday at a court hearing involving eligibilty status, Weimer was told he was not listed on the official roster which is not good news for him to be cleared to play this fall.
At the inside receiver spot, coach Rodriguez and inside receivers coach Logan Bradley are anxious to see what their guys can do on the field. Rumor has it, behind closed doors, Rodriguez said this is the best group of slot receivers he has ever had on one team. The group is led by Rodney Gallagher, a familiar name to fans as he is back for his third season in Morgantown. Gallagher is projected to start at slot and be backed up by another explosive athlete, Oran Singleton. A transfer from Eastern Michigan, Singleton led the Eagles with 64 catches and 639 yards a year ago. He has a knack for getting open and can make plays in space. He can be the perfect complement to Gallagher when needed. Jarrod Bowie, who played high school for Martinsburg and starred at Concord for a year before playing for Rodriguez at Jax State, is yet another experienced option the offense has. Bowie had 105 receiving yards in that bowl game against Ohio and is ready to make an impact for his home state school now that he has that legit opportunity. Armoni Weaver, a highly rated true freshman, is the depth at this spot and is a speedster in space.
To put it bluntly, the West Virginia receiver room will be better than what most thought during spring practice. Some of the additions to the position and just players improving 110 percent this summer, will make the passing game fun to watch in 2025.
