The 2023 early signing period for football begins today and WVU is expected to sign around 20 prospects. This story will be updated throughout the morning and afternoon as WVU officially announces its signings.
7:15 a.m.
Josiah Jackson, CB, 6-0, 175, Fairfield, Ohio/Fairfield HS
Played for coach Jason Krause at Fairfield High … 2022 OHSAA Division I All-State First Team … selected to play in the 2023 US Army Bowl in Frisco, Texas … multiple-time all-conference selection … earned all-region and all-city honors … helped the Indians to a 7-4 record and appearance in the OHSAA playoffs as a senior … totaled 35 tackles in 2022, including 2.5 tackles for loss, three pass breakups, one forced fumble and a touchdown … recorded a 27-yard punt return for a touchdown against Lakota East … a member of Fairfield’s 5-4 squad in 2021, which reached the second round of the Division I playoffs … had 48 tackles with two interceptions as a junior … also secured 41 tackles, one fumble recovery and a touchdown during his sophomore campaign … twin brother of fellow WVU commit Jordan Jackson … earned four-star by On3 and three-star distinction by ESPN, 247Sports and Rivals … On3 rates him No. 20 cornerback nationally and No. 5 recruit in Ohio … ranked as the No. 80 cornerback in the nation, as well as the No. 23 overall player in Ohio by 247Sports … Rivals lists him as the No. 83 overall cornerback and No. 26 Ohio prospect, while ESPN grades him as the No. 91 cornerback nationally and No. 23 player in Ohio … also offered by Duke, Boston College, Cincinnati, Indiana, Iowa State, Maryland and Vanderbilt, among others.
7:15 a.m.
Jordan Jackson, CB, 6-0, 175, Fairfield, Ohio/Fairfield HS
Played for coach Jason Krause at Fairfield High … received all-conference and all-district honors … helped Indians to a 7-4 record and appearance in the OHSAA playoffs as a senior … ran for 870 yards on 139 attempts with six touchdowns as a senior … also caught 10 passes for 197 yards and two scores … ran for 237 yards and a touchdown against Colerain … also registered 131 rushing yards against Sycamore and 118 against Lakota East … helped Fairfield to a 5-4 mark and second-round playoff appearance as a junior … totaled 973 yards with six scores in 2021 … secured 270 yards on 15 carries with three touchdowns in Fairfield’s opening-round playoff win over Mason … had 42 tackles and an interception during his sophomore season … twin brother of fellow WVU commit Josiah Jackson … three-star prospect by ESPN, 247Sports, On3 and Rivals … ranked No. 40 athlete nationally and No. 29 recruit in Ohio by On3 … listed as the No. 33 athlete nationally and No. 21 Ohio prospect by Rivals … ESPN rates him as the No. 37 athlete in the country, No. 35 in the region and No. 12 player in Ohio, while he ranks as the No. 59 athlete in the nation and No. 22 player in Ohio by 247Sports … also offered by Duke, Maryland, Minnesota and Purdue, among others.
7:26 a.m.
Sean Boyle, QB, 6-2, 200, Charlotte, N.C./Charlotte Catholic HS
Played quarterback for coach Mike Brodowicz at Charlotte Catholic High … listed as a pro-style quarterback … selected as the Southwestern 4A Conference Player of the Year at the conclusion of his senior season in 2022 … as a senior, he led Charlotte Catholic to a 9-3 mark, as well as a 5-1 record in conference play to finish third … completed 112-of-164 passes as a senior for 1,941 yards and 21 touchdowns … also compiled 218 yards rushing … as a junior, he completed 52-of-90 passes for 800 yards and seven touchdowns … also compiled 179 rushing yards with a pair of rushing touchdowns … helped Catholic to a pair of Class 3A state championships at the conclusion of his freshman and sophomore years … also hit on 50-of-85 passes for 748 yards with 10 touchdowns as a sophomore … rated a three-star prospect by ESPN, 247Sports, On3 and Rivals … rated No. 36 quarterback nationally and No. 30 recruit in North Carolina by ESPN … the No. 54-rated quarterback, as well as the No. 30 prospect in North Carolina by 247Sports … listed as the No. 29 prospect in the state by Rivals … ranked a No. 39 prospect in North Carolina and No. 25-rated quarterback by On3 … rated the No. 30 player in North Carolina by Rivals … also offered by Charlotte, Connecticut, Memphis, Rutgers and USF.
7:35 a.m.
TJ Johnson, TE, 6-4, 215, Chesapeake, Va./Oscar Smith HS
Played for coach Chris Scott at Oscar Smith HS … earned Virginia All-State Second Team honors as a junior … named All-Region First Team … helped guide OSHS to a 9-2 record, including an 8-0 mark in the Southeastern Conference … helped the Tigers reach the second round of the Virginia Class 6A Playoffs in 2022 … saw action in nine games as a senior, including two playoff games … finished with 24 catches for 343 yards and six touchdowns … scored four touchdowns against Old Hickory High … during his sophomore and junior seasons, he helped Oscar Smith High to a record of 22-1 and a pair of Virginia Class 6A State Championships … also helped OSHS go 12-0 in the Southeastern Conference from 2020-21 … his father, Tory Johnson Sr., was a tight end at WVU (2000-03) who had 14 career receptions for 145 yards and five touchdowns … rated as a three-star prospect by ESPN, 247Sports, On3 and Rivals … ESPN ranks him as the No. 38 tight end in this year’s class, as well as the No. 42 player in Virginia … checks in as the No. 26 prospect in Virginia by Rivals … 247Sports lists him as the No. 141 wide receiver in the country and the No. 26 player in Virginia … On3 ranks him as the No. 158 wide receiver nationally and No. 27 recruit in Virginia … also offered by East Carolina, Maryland, North Carolina, Pitt and Virginia.
7:42 a.m.
Noah Braham, TE, 6-2, 225, Morgantown, W.Va./University HS
Played tight end and linebacker for coach John Kelley at University High … moved around positionally in high school, playing linebacker and defensive line for the Hawks … suffered an ankle injury at the mid-point of his junior season, limiting his time on the field in the latter half of the season and the beginning of his senior year … as a senior, he totaled 38 receptions for 489 yards and also scored six touchdowns … as a junior, he caught 16 passes for 350 yards and three touchdowns … on defense as a sophomore, he recorded 49 tackles, including 38 solos and three sacks … also was used as a punt returner as a sophomore, totaling 15 returns … rated a three-star prospect by ESPN, 247Sports, On3 and Rivals … ranked No. 71 overall at his position and No. 2 in West Virginia by 247Sports … No. 63 inside linebacker nationally and No. 2 prospect in West Virginia by ESPN … rated No. 136 edge rusher nationally and No. 3 recruit in West Virginia by On3 … son of WVU Hall of Fame offensive lineman and former Cincinnati Bengal Rich Braham (1990-93).
7:48 a.m.
Nick Krahe, OL, 6-6, 295, Erie, Pa./Harbor Creek HS
Played guard and tackle for coach Troy Budziszewski at Harbor Creek High … two-time All-Region 5 First-Team honoree as both an offensive and defensive lineman in 2022 … Erie Times-News District 10 Football Small School All-Star team … credited with 74 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, one sack, five quarterback hurries, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries … as a junior, he finished with 59 tackles, six quarterback hurries and a sack …. also plays basketball … outstanding student with a 4.0+ GPA … three-star rating by ESPN, 247Sports, On3 and Rivals …. ranked No. 22 in Pennsylvania by Rivals, No. 26 by ESPN and No. 28 by 247Sports and On3 … No. 69 offensive tackle nationally by Rivals, No. 98 by On3, No. 111 by ESPN and No. 143 by 247Sports … received more than 30 offers, including Boston College, Air Force, Connecticut, Maryland and Pitt.
8:04 a.m.
Zachariah Keith, DL, 6-5, 240, Douglasville, Ga./Douglas County HS
Played for coach Johnny White at Douglas County High … 2022 Class 6A, All-Region 5 Honorable-Mention selection … 2021 Class 6A All-State First Team … helped team to a 7-4 overall record as a senior and a 5-2 conference mark, which earned a spot in the state 6A playoffs … recorded 76 total tackles (46 solo) as a senior with four sacks, seven tackles for loss and averaged eight tackles per game … as a junior, he contributed 101 total tackles (59 solo) and 14 sacks in helping team to an 8-4 overall record and a 4-3 mark in conference play … contributed 11 stops as a sophomore … career statistics totaled 188 total tackles (114 solo), 20 sacks, four forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and a 7.8 tackles per game average … rated four-star recruit by On3 and a member of its Top 300 recruit list at No. 229 … On3 ranks him as the No. 22 prospect in the state and No. 25 nationally at his position … three-star rating from Rivals and three-star rating from 247Sports, as the No. 90 edge lineman in the country and No. 96 overall prospect in Georgia … three-star rating from ESPN, No. 77 mark in Georgia and No. 100 defensive end nationally … MaxPreps lists him as the No. 82 recruit in Georgia … received a total of 16 scholarship offers … also offered by Boston College, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi State, Tennessee, UCF and Vanderbilt.
8:06 a.m.
Ben Cutter, LB, 6-1, 215, Denver, N.C./East Lincoln HS
Played for coach David Lubowicz at East Lincoln High … a four-year performer and one of the top defensive players in North Carolina … two-time Western Foothills Conference Defensive Player of the Year … defensive MVP of the state championship game, with 11 tackles in a 30-15 victory over previously unbeaten Northern Nash … selected to the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas All-Star game … led team to a 16-0 record, a 7-0 conference championship and the Class 3A state championship as a senior … collected 193 tackles as a senior with two sacks, eight tackles for loss and four interceptions … averaged 12.1 tackles per game … also ran for 305 yards with three touchdowns averaging 8.2 yards per carry … as a junior, collected 158 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and one interception … rushed for 213 yards and three touchdowns averaging 6.3 yards per carry … turned in 91 tackles as a sophomore, averaging 13 tackles per game … Registered 137 total tackles as a freshman, including 11 tackles for loss … three-star rating from 247Sports, who lists him as the No. 36 top recruit in North Carolina and No. 143 linebacker nationally … three-star from Rivals as the No. 34 top recruit in the state … ESPN’s three-star rating lists him as the No. 32 inside linebacker in the country and No. 28 overall recruit in North Carolina … three-star rating by On3 … Also offered by Wake Forest, Louisville, East Carolina, Tulane, Liberty, Coastal Carolina and Appalachian State.
8:26 a.m.
James Heard Jr., EDGE, 6-2, 225, Voorhees, N.J./Camden HS
Played his senior year for coach Rob Hinson at Camden High … named 2022 NJ.com’s All-State First Team (DL) … earned All-Group 3 Defensive honors (DL) … West Jersey Football League Constitution Division Player of the Year … honored as The Courier Post South Jersey Defensive Player of the Year … 2021 Pennsylvania Football Writers’ 6A All-State Team (DL) … helped Camden to a 10-3 record, a spot in the New Jersey Group 3 semifinals and a No. 19 final ranking in New Jersey … senior stats included 38 tackles, 18 sacks and three forced fumbles … as a junior, he turned in 37 tackles (23 solo), 10.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss, playing for St. Joseph’s Prep in Philadelphia … also started as a sophomore at Eastern Regional High in Voorhees, New Jersey, contributing 25 tackles (23 solo), 3.5 sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss … four-star ranking from Rivals, which ranks him as the No. 3 overall recruit in New Jersey, No. 17 nationally at defensive end and a member of the prestigious Rivals Top 250 Club at No. 237 overall … three-star rating from 247Sports, ranking him No. 17 overall in New Jersey and No. 82 nationally at linebacker … three-star rating from ESPN which ranks him No. 12 overall in New Jersey, No. 64 overall in the region and No. 40 nationally at his position … three-star ranking from On3, rating him the No. 72 linebacker nationally and No. 20 recruit in New Jersey … received 15 offers … also offered by Boston College, Cincinnati, Duke, Kentucky, Maryland, Miami, Nebraska, Ole Miss, Penn State, Rutgers, Temple, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Virginia and Virginia Tech.
8:31 a.m.
Jahiem White, RB, 5-9, 190, York, Pa./William Penn HS
Played for coach Russ Stoner at York High … 2022 All-State First Team (RB) by PennLive.com … 2022 York Daily Record Offensive Player of the Year … York-Adams Interscholastic Athletic Association Division I Offensive Player of the Year … 2021 Pennsylvania Football Writers’ 6A All-State Team (RB) … recorded 1,918 yards and 37 touchdowns as a senior … also added 33 catches for 428 yards in 2022 … had 19 two-point conversions … led Bearcats to a 6-4 finish and spot in the District 3 Class 6A playoffs … York’s offense averaged 45.0 points per game … ran for 417 yards with seven touchdowns against Dallastown … also tallied 328 yards and three scores in a playoff game against Central York … totaled 178 scrimmage yards, scored five touchdowns, had two interceptions and registered more than 100 return yards in a game against Carlisle … ran for 2,128 yards and 31 touchdowns as a junior, helping his team to a 7-3 mark … earned multiple all-state honors … school-record holder in career rushing yards (5,780) … No. 2 in York County history in rushing yards … ranked as a three-star prospect by ESPN, 247Sports, On3 and Rivals … Rivals ranked him as the No. 24 running back nationally and No. 11 player in Pennsylvania … 247Sports lists him as the No. 44 running back and No. 10 prospect in Pennsylvania … On3 rates him as the No. 68 running back nationally and No. 18 recruit in Pennsylvania … also rated as the No. 23 player from Pennsylvania and No. 63 running back nationally by ESPN … also offered by Louisville, Bowling Green, Old Dominion, among others.
8:44 a.m.
Cooper Young, OL, 6-5, 305, Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown West HS
Played for coach Mike Milano at Downingtown West High … In 2022, named All-Ches-Mont League First Team (OL) and second team (DL) … earned All-Ches-Mont League Second Team honors (OL) in 2021… BCFCA All-Academic team … named All-Area Honorable Mention as a junior … as a senior, Downingtown was 9-2, advancing to the second round of the state playoffs … helped pave the way for Downingtown to average 198.3 rushing yards per game and had 39 rushing touchdowns … besides being a two-way lineman, he also is a catcher and first baseman on the baseball team … as a junior, offense averaged 177.4 rushing yards per game, had three 100-yard rushing performances and scored 26 rushing touchdowns … three-star rating by ESPN, 247Sports, On3 and Rivals … rated No. 32 offensive guard and No. 16 recruit in Pennsylvania by Rivals … ESPN ranks him as the No. 77 offensive guard, No. 147 in the region and No. 25 prospect in Pennsylvania … ranked No. offensive lineman nationally and No. 26 prospect in Pennsylvania by 247Sports … No. 120 offensive lineman nationally and No. 30 recruit in Pennsylvania from On3 … also offered by Maryland, Pitt, Syracuse, Temple and Virginia.
9:00 a.m.
Josiah Trotter, LB, 6-2, 230, Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Joseph’s Prep
Played for coach Tim Roken at Saint Joseph’s Prep … invited to play in the All-American Bowl, an annual East-West matchup in San Antonio, Texas … 2022 All-State First Team (LB) by PennLive.com … 2021 Pennsylvania Football Writers’ 6A All-State Team (LB) … 2021 All-Eastern PA Football Co-Player of the Year … earned All-Catholic First Team honors … helped the Hawks to a 12-1 mark and PIAA Class 6A state title … finished with 75 tackles, two forced fumbles, three sacks and an interception as a senior … missed four games due to injury … returned an interception for a touchdown against Roman Catholic … recorded 114 tackles, nine tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries and six passes defended as a junior … led Hawks to an 11-3 mark in 2021, culminating in a state-championship game berth … helped St. Joseph’s Prep to a 6-0 record and 6A state championship as a sophomore … his father, Jeremiah, was a two-time All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowl linebacker with the Philadelphia Eagles … four-star prospect by Rivals and ESPN … three-star prospect by 247Sports and On3 … listed as the No. 15 inside linebacker in the nation by ESPN, as well as the No. 6 Pennsylvania prospect … also ranked as the No. 16 linebacker nationally and No. 8 player in Pennsylvania by Rivals … listed as the No. 41 linebacker in the nation and No. 9 overall Pennsylvania prospect by 247Sports … ranked No. 104 linebacker nationally and No. 24 prospect in Pennsylvania by On3 … also offered by Clemson, Maryland, Miami, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, South Carolina Tennessee, Texas A&M and Virginia Tech, among others.
9:12 a.m.
Oryend Fisher, EDGE, 6-6, 215, Georgetown, Ky./Great Crossing HS
Played for coach Ricky Bowling at Great Crossing High … 2022 Class 5A All-State First Team … Kentucky Sports Radio All-State Team (DL) … 2021 Kentucky Sports Radio All-State Team (EDGE) … posted 84 tackles, including 11.5 sacks, during his senior season … as a junior, he posted 77 tackles, including 14 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks … also forced three fumbles and recovered two during his 2021 season … overall, he amassed 161 tackles and 25 sacks between his junior and senior seasons … led GCHS to an 8-3 record and a berth in KHSAA Class 5A playoffs in 2022 … also led the Warhawks to an 8-3 record and the Class 5A playoff during his junior campaign … rated as a three-star prospect by ESPN, 247Sports, On3 and Rivals … Rivals ranks him as the No. 48 weak-side defensive end nationally and the No. 7 prospect in Kentucky … On3 ranks him as the No. 55 edge ruKLsher and No. 1 prospect in Kentucky … 247Sports lists him as the No. 46 edge rusher in this year’s class and the No. 2 player in Kentucky … ESPN rates him as the No. 137 defensive end in the country and the No. 11 prospect in Kentucky … also held offers from Kentucky, Louisville and Vanderbilt.
11:43 a.m.
DJ Oliver, RB, 5-11, 240, Port Saint Joe, Fla./Port Saint Joe HS
Played running back for coach Tanner Jones at Port Saint Joe High … earned 2021 All-State First Team honors … as a senior, he finished with 983 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 12.93 yards per carry … finished with more than 1,100 all-purpose yards, averaged 8.0 tackles per game and had nine sacks … helped lead Port Saint Joe High to an 8-3 record and advance to the first round of the state playoffs … as a junior, he compiled 2,067 total yards from scrimmage, 25 total touchdowns and 107 total tackles … had eight 100-yard rushing performances, four with more than 200 yards and eight multiple-touchdown performances … season-high 315 yards and three touchdowns against Dixie County … also dominant in track & field, putting up impressive numbers as a junior in the 100 meter dash, shot put (finished fourth) and weightlifting (finished third) categories at the state level … ranked second in the state in class 1A in both rushing yards and total points scored … helped lead the Sharks to an 8-2 record and a first-round bye in the playoffs … received votes for the 2021 Florida class 1A player of the year and finished in the top five …. three-star rating by ESPN, 247Sports, On3 and Rivals … No. 44 rated athlete and No. 136 recruit in Florida by On3 … ranked No. 63 running back overall and No. 132 prospect in Florida by 247Sports … No. 90 running back nationally and No. 185 prospect in Florida by ESPN … also offered by Army, Air Force, USF, FAU and UAB.
12:02 p.m.
Rodney Gallagher III, WR, 5-11, 175, Uniontown, Pa./Laurel Highlands HS
Played for coach Rich Kolesar at Laurel Highlands High … invited to play in the All-American Bowl, an annual East-West matchup in San Antonio, Texas … 2022 All-State First Team (ATH) by PennLive.com … WPIAL Class 4A Big Seven Conference Offensive Player of the Year … invited to play in the All-American Bowl, an annual East-West matchup in San Antonio, Texas … Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Fab 22 … earned multiple all-state and all-conference honors … 2021 Class 4A All-State (ATH) … Pittsburgh Post-Gazette WPIAL Male Athlete of the Year … played quarterback as a senior, completing 93-of-167 (55.7%) passes for 1,272 yards and 13 touchdowns … on the ground, he ran for 690 yards on 146 carries and tallied 11 touchdowns … also caught 13 passes for 77 yards and four touchdowns … led LHHS to an 8-3 record, including a 5-1 mark in the WPIAL AAAA Big Seven … during his junior season, he completed 104-of-179 (58.1%) passes for 1,365 yards and 12 touchdowns … also ran for 1,130 yards on 169 carries and scored 21 touchdowns … guided Laurel Highlands to an 8-3 finish and helped the Mustangs reach the WPIAL AAAA Quarterfinals in 2021 … finished his high school career with 3,014 passing yards on 225-of-395 (57%) attempts and 29 touchdowns … also tallied 2,376 rushing yards on 418 carries (5.7 YPC) and 40 touchdowns, to go along with 890 receiving yards on 56 catches for 11 touchdowns … also a standout basketball player for Laurel Highlands … three-time All-State First Team selection … surpassed 1,500 career points … three-time member of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s ‘Fab 5’ … averaged 18.6 points and 4.0 assists per game as a junior … rated as a four-star prospect by ESPN, 247Sports, On3 and Rivals … member of the ESPN300 for the Class of 2023, checking in at No. 177 nationally … also holds a national ranking of No. 257 by 247Sports … ESPN tabs him as the No. 13 athlete and the No. 2 prospect in Pennsylvania … 247Sports ranks him as the No. 32 wide receiver and the No. 3 player in Pennsylvania … Rivals lists him as the No. 58 wide receiver and the No. 9 player in Pennsylvania … ranked No. 49 wide receiver nationally and No. 7 recruit in Pennsylvania by On3 … held more than 20 offers … also offered by Arizona State, Cincinnati, Houston, Iowa State, Louisville, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, NC State, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, Pitt, Syracuse, Texas, Virginia Tech and Wisconsin.
12:48 p.m.
Traylon Ray, WR, 6-3, 185, Tallahassee, Fla./North Florida Christian HS
Two-way player for coach Brent Hill at North Florida Christian … a three-sport athlete in football, basketball and baseball …. earned Class 2A All-State Second Team in 2021 as a utility player … in 2022, he had 70 receptions for 1,236 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns … also had 147 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries … as a defensive back, he had 37 tackles, four tackles for loss, six interceptions and seven pass breakups … also averaged 30.7 kickoff return yards and 15.0 punt return yards … in 2022, he helped his team to an 11-1 record, advancing to the regional finals in Florida’s 1S state playoff … as a junior, helped North Florida Christian to a 6-5 record by pulling in 87 receptions for 1,366 yards and 17 touchdowns … on the basketball court as a junior, led NFC in scoring (15.1 points per game) and steals (2.1 per game) while pulling down 4.4 rebounds per game … as a shortstop, he batted .359 in 2022 … four-star rating by ESPN 247Sports and On3 and three-star rating by Rivals … No. 29 wide receiver nationally by On3, No. 51 by ESPN, No. 89 by 247Sports … No. 39 in the state of Florida and No. 194 overall by On3 … No. 82 recruit in Florida by ESPN, No. 84 by Rivals and No. 98 by 247Sports … also offered by Tennessee, Mississippi State, Florida State, Florida, Miami, Virginia Tech, Boston College, Cincinnati, UCF and Georgia Tech.
