MORGANTOWN — There are times where Asani Redwood still can’t believe it.
It’s a special situation. Redwood came from Kingston, Jamaica, to Suwanee, Georgia, as a 5-foot-11 sophomore soccer player whose only exposure to American football was on television. Now he’s a 6-3, 290-pound redshirt sophomore defensive lineman on full scholarship at West Virginia University.
“It’s still surreal to me now,” Redwood said this week.
WVU coaches aren’t surprised. They saw in the recruiting process the physical talent that took Redwood from a football neophyte to a high school All-American to a Football Bowl Subdivision player — and now an important piece along the Mountaineers’ defensive line. Redwood will try to continue his rapid ascent in the sport Saturday, when WVU (2-2, 1-0 Big 12) visits Oklahoma State (3-2, 0-2 Big 12) at 4 p.m. (ESPN2).
Redwood’s journey to the United States and American football began in 2019 when, after living with his mother his entire life in Kingston, he moved to Georgia with his father, who had already traveled to the states. He settled in at Collins Hill High School, after his cousins who attended raved about its quality.
Redwood had only seen American football on TV, but was intrigued about playing the sport.
“I always said, if I was going to America, I’ll be a receiver,” he said.
In those days, that might have looked like his future. When he arrived at Collins Hill, he said he was “5-11, 190 at the most.” He came too late to school to join the football team, so he played soccer and wrestled his first year.
He joined the football team as a junior, and a major growth spurt had something to say about his position on the field. He was now 6-2 and coaches put him on the defensive line. Redwood admitted the first few weeks weren’t an easy transition.
“About two weeks in, I told my dad I wasn’t going to play no more,” he said. “I was out there and everyone was going through the drills so cleanly and I’m over there falling and asking so many questions.
“My dad said, just do this here and see how it goes and let me know,” Redwood continued. “My dad, he never wants to quit at anything.”
Dad’s advice paid off. After a few games on junior varsity, Redwood moved to varsity and quickly became one of the top defensive linemen in Georgia. He finished his abbreviated high school career with 181 tackles, 120 solo, with 23½ sacks, 39 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles and 57 quarterback hurries. He was a MaxPreps All-American as a senior as well as first-team all-Georgia.
Such a rapid rise was necessary just to survive the practices at Collins Hill. That 2021 roster included three other FBS signees — two-way Colorado superstar Travis Hunter, Missouri backup quarterback Sam Horn and receiver Cam Pedro, who signed with Marshall out of high school, but is second on Southeast Missouri State this year in receptions and yards.
WVU defensive coordinator Jordan Lesley said Redwood’s high school coach tipped him to Redwood’s abilities early. Then he got a chance to see Redwood up close. It was a game between Collins Hill and North Gwinnett and most of the coaches there were looking at future Ohio State defensive lineman Kayden McDonald. Lesley had his eyes on Redwood.
Taking a player with so much potential, but so little playing experience, can be a risk, Lesley said. But there’s a checklist, he continued, that shows if the risk is worth taking — a high ceiling, a schematic fit and if there’s time to develop him.
“Asani checked all the boxes,” Lesley said.
Redwood redshirted after four games in 2022, then played in all 11 games last season, recording three tackles and 1 1/2 sacks. As the primary backup for senior Edward Vesterinen this year, Redwood has played in all four games and has already recorded six tackles, two solo, with 1 1/2 tackles for loss. His season highs in tackles (three) and TFLs (one) came in WVU’s comeback win over Kansas.
And while Redwood’s fast rise may surprise him at times, it doesn’t surprise Lesley a bit.
“He’s extremely athletic, can run,” Lesley said. “Then you put the body and the size with it.
“It’s almost like it’s untapped, because he still hasn’t had a full offseason in the weight room where the strength really shows up,” he added. That athleticism has always showed up. Now we’re playing catch-up with the strength of his lower body and his upper body. I think his best football’s ahead of him.”
Redwood’s talent will be needed Saturday. Oklahoma State has struggled with the run this season, so his athleticism will be useful to rush a more pass-heavy Cowboys offense. And while OSU hasn’t run well in 2024, it still features last year’s Doak Walker winner Ollie Gordon II, who gashed the Mountaineers last year for 282 yards and four touchdowns. Redwood can help keep Gordon from a breakout game.
Redwood’s football journey is the stuff of books and movies. His dad has asked him if, when he began playing, if he would have believed this would be where he is now.
“Sometimes I still don’t believe it,” Redwood said. “That’s why I put my all into it. And I try to make my dad proud. I try to show (head coach Neal) Brown I appreciate the opportunity he gave me, Coach Brown and Coach Lesley. I appreciate it. So, I go hard and try to show up.”
— Story by Derek Redd
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