West Virginia has addressed one of the biggest remaining needs in the 2023 recruiting class with a commitment from Rock Hill (S.C.) Northwestern wide receiver Elijah Caldwell picked the Mountaineers.
Caldwell, 6-foot-1, 191-pounds, became a priority target for the football program after lead recruiter Tony Washington established a connection during his time at Coastal Carolina. That relationship poured over when Washington arrived in Morgantown where the Mountaineers had also identified the athletic outside receiver as a key target.
The talented pass catcher is coming off a season where he hauled in 77 catches for 1,247 yards and 15 touchdowns and was a key target for the Mountaineers on the recruiting trail. Caldwell did not participate in many recruiting camps and stayed relatively under the radar but his film exposes the type of talent that he possesses.
Caldwell took a visit to WVU in the spring and returned to campus for another trip for his official on the final weekend of June. That trip gave him an expansive look at everything that the Mountaineers had to offer.
“I really felt comfortable there,” he said. “Morgantown has a lot going for it.”
The talented pass catcher is being looked at as an outside wide receiver in the Mountaineers offensive scheme though he has the ability to slide into the slot if needed. He adds an impressive complement to the class with what West Virginia already had in Uniontown (Pa.) slot wide receiver Rodney Gallagher. Caldwell profiles as a larger outside weapon to give the program two explosive options.
Caldwell was down to WVU and Utah after taking official visits to both and ultimately selected the Mountaineers due to both his comfort level with the program and how he could fit into the offense.
Overall, Caldwell represents the 13th commitment for WVU in the month of June and the 18th total in the class.
Expect WVU to add at least one more at the position with Raleigh (N.C.) Millbrook wide receiver Nathan Leacock, Chesapeake (Va.) Western Branch wide receiver Paul Billups, Tallahassee (Fla.) North Florida Christian wide receiver Traylon Ray, Idaho Falls (Id.) Skyline wide receiver Kenyon Sadiq and Gainesville (Fla.) P.K. Yonge wide receiver Jaren Hamilton rounding out the target list.
WVU is putting the 2023 class together piece-by-piece and the wide receiver room took a big step with Caldwell in the fold.
By Keenan Cummings
