The 2005 recruiting season started out with a bang for West Virginia, when highly-touted Long Island halfback Jason Gwaltney verbally committed to the Mountaineers last February. Gwaltney, though, has since changed his mind and is now deciding between Southern Cal and Ohio State, although he claims WVU is still in play. Then, in early January, Ohio safety Chris Rowell decided he, too, would renege on his verbal commitment to the Mountaineers in favor of Iowa.

Despite those set-backs, Rich Rodriguez ands his staff have pushed forward. Halfback Ovid Goulbourne gives them a replacement for Gwaltney, and after losing a slew of wideouts from last year, WVU has received commitments from several talented receivers. Among the best is Ryan Dawson from Parkersburg, WV. Dawson adds his 6-4, 195-pound frame to an impressive 4.5 forty time and has the potential to be a big play threat. A nice compliment should be speedy Jeremy Bruce from Blackhawk in Beaver Falls.

Jarrett Brown, from West Palm Beach, FL, is a dual-threat quarterback cut from a similar cloth to outgoing senior Rasheed Marshall. Nathan Sowers is another highly regarded in-state quarterback committed to WVU. Florida’s Sabree Thomas is capable of making an immediate contribution at tight end. He stands 6-5, 270 pounds and ranks among Rivals.com’s top 40 tight ends in the nation.

Coming in for defensive support will be Zac Cooper, a 6-2, 209-pound linebacker from Weirton. Many publications rated Cooper in their top 40 nationwide, as is the case with rugged defensive tackle Rashad Roussell from Boutte, LA.

The Mountaineers have recruited within their system, bringing in players whose talents coincide with the type of schemes the team tries to execute. This is a positive after last season, and shows a faith in the plan by coach Rich Rodriguez and his staff.