WVU Football Lands Five Dynamic Commitments for 2026—Could This Be the Game-Changing Class?

MORGANTOWN is buzzing with excitement as West Virginia’s 2026 recruiting class jolts to life faster than many expected. Even before the season’s official whistle blew, the Mountaineers weren’t just dipping their toes—they dove headfirst, snapping up five new commitments in a single day. Honestly, seeing this much momentum early on makes you sit up and take notice. Simaj Hill, once a James Madison pledge, is now a Mountaineer, bringing versatility to a secondary in need of a revival. And he’s just the opener. The ripple effect saw offensive lineman Rhett Morris and Alabama’s Cam Mallory follow suit, bringing strength to the trenches. Not to mention the eye-catching flip of Oregon State’s Noah Tishendorf, a move that sends a clear message: WVU’s pulling no punches. Wrapping up the surge, unranked linebacker Miles Khatri sealed the deal, rounding out a class that’s already packed with talent and tenacity. This kind of early fire sets a promising stage for Rich Rodriguez and his team as they look to reshape and reenergize their roster… and us fans, well, we can’t wait to see how it all unfolds. LEARN MORE

MORGANTOWN — West Virginia’s 2026 recruiting class is off to a hot start, even before the official start of recruiting season.

After Hill announced his commitment, the recruits came in bundles for WVU.

West Virginia added one more player later on Monday. 

Around 8 p.m., unranked linebacker Miles Khatri announced his commitment, becoming the first linebacker commit for the class.

Starting off the day, JMU pledge defensive back Simaj Hill flipped and committed to the Mountaineers. From Philadelphia, Hill is a three-star, according to 247sports, and ranked the 49th-best player in Pennsylvania. Hill has the potential to play both corner and safety for a Mountaineers secondary that took a hit this season.

Rodriguez’s hot start sets the tone for the long recruiting summer ahead. 

The Mountaineers added five recruits for the class of 2026 on Monday, bringing the total for the 2026 class to six in the span of two days. 

Shortly after, three-star offensive lineman Rhett Morris announced his commitment. Morris received offers from schools all over the East Coast, like Army, Coastal Carolina, Boston College and JMU. Morris is ranked a consensus three-star and the 31st-ranked player in New Jersey. 

Morris became the first offensive lineman for the class.

Three-star defensive lineman Cam Mallory followed, announcing his commitment on X. From Alabama, Mallory received offers from Boston College, Akron and Appalachian State. He took an official visit to Boston College on May 30. Mallory took a trip to Morgantown on June 6, and a couple of days later, became a Mountaineer. He’s the 45th-best player in Alabama and ranked the fourth player in West Virginia’s class. 

Hill wasn’t the only player West Virginia flipped their commitments. Later on, Rich Rodriguez and the Mountaineers flipped Oregon State pass rusher commit Noah Tishendorf. Tishendorf committed to the Beavers on May 10 and took an official visit on May 17. After his commitment, WVU offered Tishendorf, and he changed his mind.

Tishendorf was one of the bigger gets for WVU on the day. He’s a three-star still, but is the sixth-ranked player in Oregon. Tishendorf stands at 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, creating a strong force off the edge.

The five commitments bring the 2026 class to 12 recruits, and 11 are three-stars. Most of the commitments came after official visits, showing how well the WVU staff and facilities make an impact on the recruits.