MORGANTOWN (WVDN)- After losing top receivers Cam Vaughn (transfer to Miami) and Jeff Weimer (graduated) from the 2025 season, the West Virginia Mountaineers made the position a high priority in the offseason as they looked for productive players that could help alleviate those two losses and develop a couple of their own in Morgantown.
Mission accomplished.
While losing Vaughn and Weimer stings, WVU brought in some experienced talent.
Jayden Bray, who is in his third year at West Virginia and will play out wide, is the leader of the group. The former transfer from Oklahoma State has had a string of bad luck as a Mountaineer and has suffered injuries that cut both of those seasons short. Last season, before he got hurt, he had four catches for 69 yards against Ohio and was looking smooth, then, poof, he was gone. However, this year, Bray is back to full strength, and all indications are he is ready to breakout this season. A funny fact about Bray is he has more TD catches against West Virginia–one, while playing for Okie State in 2023– than he does in two years playing for the Mountaineers.
In the slot, WVU will most likely roll with DJ Epps, a 5-foot-11, 188-pound speedster that transferred in from Troy. Epps had over 500 yards and five TDs on 47 catches a year ago. He has a twitch move that keeps defenses off balance and will fill in nicely at the position. In live situations in practiced, Epps has turned heads with his quickness and cut-back ability.
The other spot out wide will be filled by Boise State transfer Prince Strachan (Pronounced Strah-n). Strachan is a big target at 6’5″ and 215 pounds and is looking to redeem himself in Morgantown after last season was cut short for him by injury. He only played in one game, the first of the season, and had a 25-yard catch before exiting for the year. As a junior he hauled in 25 passes for 304 yards and a TD and was expected to be a big contributor before he went down last season. He spent his freshman year at USC and is hopeful West Virginia will be where he becomes a household name.
Other guys to watch at the position are TaRon Francis and John Neider, two transfers. Francis was a high 4-star recruit who came over from LSU and the LSU fans were upset he decided to leave as the potential is through the roof with him. Neider played for UCONN in 2025 and has Jeff Weimer clone written all over him. He had 27 catches for 422 yards last year for the Huskies and could very well end up being a starter for the Mountaineers on Sept. 5 when they host Coastal Carolina in the season opener.
Others that have a chance:
Armani Weaver
Kedrick Triplett
Keon Hutchins
Cyrus Traugh
