Zach Frazier. Wyatt Milum. Kevin Brown?
Albeit under a different coaching staff, West Virginia has turned out some high-level offensive linemen in recent years, and the freshly committed Kevin Brown could be the third Mountaineer lineman to start as a true freshman since 2019.
Obviously, it’s not going to be handed to him, but he will be in a prime position to start the 2026 season as the guy at right tackle. Malik Agbo and Xavier Bausley each have eligibility remaining and can serve as depth options. And don’t think for a second that Rich Rodriguez won’t go out and add another body or two via the transfer portal.
All that being said, Rodriguez will have conversations with the aforementioned players who are currently on the roster and will let them know that, assuming all goes well, Brown will undoubtedly be in the mix for the starting job.
Regardless of whether or not he starts in week one, the Mountaineers just got a whole lot better up front. He’s a perfect fit for this offense, bringing that hard edge and hard-nose mentality, which will help change the identity of the offensive line.
From a pure strength and athleticism standpoint, Brown will be more than ready to take that job in week one, and you can make the argument that if you were allowed to strap up for the Mountaineers in two weeks, he’d be game-ready, just physically speaking.
West Virginia badly needs to get tougher and more physical at the point of attack, and Brown can certainly help those efforts.
Last week against Arizona State, West Virginia ran for just 1.7 yards per carry, which really irritated the head ball coach, as expected. They had numerous opportunities to either move the sticks or cash in with a touchdown and short-yardage situations, but lacked the necessary push to get the job done. Securing a commitment from a road grader like Brown can help change the outcome of games, much like the one this past weekend.
Left tackle Nick Krahe and center Landen Livingston will return next year with a bunch of starts under their belt in the system and should take a step forward in their development. Now, WVU just has to solve the two guard spots, which will likely come from the portal.
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