MORGANTOWN — Since the NCAA’s 30-day transfer window opened last Monday, a number of West Virginia players have announced their entrance into the portal.
Most notable among the potential departures are starting defensive tackle Mike Lockhart, who announced his entry Saturday, and backup running back Justin Johnson Jr., who made the announcement early Sunday.
Lockhart had a breakout second season with the Mountaineers, leading the team with nine tackles for loss and picking up 2.5 sacks. Lockhart transferred to WVU from Georgia Tech ahead of the 2022 season and will have one year of eligibility remaining now as a graduate transfer.
Johnson was expected to have a large role in WVU’s run-first offense, but was overshadowed by returning starter CJ Donaldson and breakout freshman Jahiem White. In nine games, Johnson carried the ball 38 times for 150 yards and one touchdown.
On Tuesday, WVU head coach Neal Brown said he expects to lose some players this offseason, as all programs will, but is focused on keeping the team’s main core together.
“It’s going to be ongoing,” Brown said. “Our hope is we can hold onto our main players. You’re going to lose some, that’s just normal, but we hope we can keep them all together.”
Other WVU players currently in the portal are freshman pass rusher James Heard, who scarcely saw playing time this season, backup kicker Danny King, backup cornerback Andrew Wilson-Lamp, whose special teams blunder was the turning point in a midseason loss to Oklahoma State, starting spear Hershey McLaurin, who made 44 tackles in 11 games, and reserve receivers Ja’Shaun Poke, Cortez Braham, Jeremiah Aaron and Davis Mallinger.
Several WVU players have also committed to returning to the Mountaineers for 2024, including White, quarterback Garrett Greene, receivers Traylon Ray and Rodney Gallagher, tight end Kole Taylor, linebacker Josiah Trotter and offensive linemen Wyatt Milum and Tomas Rimac.
