West Virginia University football wasted no time strengthening its roster this weekend, picking up two key players from the NCAA transfer portal. Head Coach Rich Rodriguez added Northern Illinois tight end Grayson Barnes and Appalachian State defensive back Nick Taylor to the Mountaineers’ growing roster.
The news became public on Saturday morning after WVU tight ends coach Michael Nysewander teased a portal acquisition on X (formerly Twitter) with a GIF that read, “Ladies and gentlemen, we got him.” Not long after, Barnes confirmed his commitment to WVU.
Barnes brings experience and size to a tight end room that recently lost four players. The 6-foot-5 pass-catcher played two productive seasons with Northern Illinois. In 2023, he caught 31 passes for 338 yards and scored four touchdowns.
The year before, he totaled 422 yards and five scores on 23 catches. With one year of eligibility remaining, Barnes offers versatility as both a blocker and a receiving threat, which aligns with the up-tempo offense Rodriguez plans to deploy this fall.
The Mountaineers also landed Nick Taylor, a promising defensive back out of Appalachian State. Taylor, who entered the portal as a sophomore, still has three years of eligibility. He appeared in seven games as a true freshman, starting against Georgia State and logging 10 tackles along with a pass breakup.
A three-star prospect out of Gainesville, Georgia, Taylor also has a background in track and field, showcasing his speed and athleticism. His addition comes at a critical time, as WVU’s secondary lost several players to the portal when it opened on Wednesday.
These two additions join Mickel Clay, a North Alabama offensive lineman who announced his transfer to WVU on Thursday. Clay brings over 700 career snaps at right tackle and began his college football career in junior college before transferring to North Alabama. Granted an extra year of eligibility, he’ll now compete on the Mountaineers’ line.
Coach Rodriguez had signaled his intent to be active in the portal this spring, emphasizing the need to boost roster depth and fuel internal competition.
“We gotta increase our competition at most of our positions,” Rodriguez said earlier this year. “I hope it comes from a lot of guys within, but inevitably it’s going to come from, in a few spots, guys that aren’t here yet.”
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With the portal just opening days ago, West Virginia is off to a strong start in adding talented players ready to make an impact.
