MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — As West Virginia looks to rebuild its football roster for 2023, it is scouring the transfer portal for some immediate help.

The first two commitments the Mountaineers gained from the portal were cornerback Montre Miller and receiver Ja’Shaun Poke, both from Kent State.

Then, on Christmas Day, a third transfer announced his intention to enroll at WVU at the start of the spring semester, which began on Jan. 9.

Kole Taylor, a 6-foot-7, 250-pound tight end, had spent the past three years at LSU, but on Dec. 8, he revealed his decision to leave the Tigers in search of a new college home.

Two and a half weeks later, he found one.

“They had a need for a pass catcher at tight end,” said Taylor of the Mountaineers. “During my visit (to WVU), we watched a lot of film of the things they did with Mike (O’Laughlin) and what they did at Troy and a lot of things they plan to do. It is a really good fit for me and it seems like a place where I can thrive.”

After three seasons with the Tigers, Taylor admitted it wasn’t easy to leave Baton Rouge, but he decided it was the best move for him.

“I made a lot of really good memories at LSU, played in a lot of memorable games. I wouldn’t change anything about my time there, but I felt I needed a fresh start,” Taylor noted. “There was no bad blood leaving there.”

In his time with the Tigers, Taylor played in 32 games, starting seven of them. While at Louisiana State, he caught 17 passes for 159 yards with one touchdown. This past season, he played in 13 games for the SEC West champions (10-4), starting twice while hauling in five receptions for 55 yards.

“This last season, I was more the run-blocking tight end,” said Taylor in an interview on the “MetroNews Statewide Sportsline.” “I adapted to it and grew to love it. That’s not necessarily easy for someone 6-foot-7, but I’ve put in the work in the weight room and have gotten bigger and stronger, which helped me become a good run blocker.”

Taylor was rated one of the nation’s top 10 tight end prospects coming out of Central High School in Grand Junction, Colorado, in the class of 2020.

He finished his prep career with 72 catches for 1,084 yards and 18 TDs. Such ability earned him scholarship offers from a couple dozen Power 5 programs, and he also had the academic prowess to gain interest from Ivy League schools as well.

He took visits to Arizona State, Washington, Penn State, Missouri and LSU before committing to the Tigers in the summer before his senior season at Central.

“Coming out of high school, I was a lengthy tight end, but I was pretty skinny,” he acknowledged, as he weighed 225 pounds before arriving at Louisiana State. “I was mainly a pass catcher in high school, but playing for three years at LSU in the SEC, you learn pretty quickly that you have to be physical and be a good blocker. That’s something I’ve adapted into, and I feel it’s now a strength of my game. I feel I’m still a good pass catcher, so I have a balance of both.”

With the departures of O’Laughlin and Brian Polendey from West Virginia’s roster, Taylor will join a WVU tight end room that is slated to return five other scholarship players this coming year — sophomores-to-be Treylan Davis (6-3, 246) and Victor Wikstrom (6-4, 258), redshirt freshman Will Dixon (6-5, 230) and incoming freshmen Noah Braham (6-2, 225) and T.J. Johnson (6-4, 210).

“There are already some good dudes in the room, and I’m going to come in and compete with them,” Taylor noted. “I think we’re all going to do our own specific things.”

Taylor will bring size and plenty of experience to that tight end position for the Mountaineers in 2023. Their returning tight ends total barely half of Taylor’s college game reps, and most of those belong to Davis, who played in all 12 games for WVU this past season as well as four in 2021 as a true freshman.

With the need for experience and pass-catching ability at tight end, the Mountaineers searched the portal for someone who could fill those needs. They quickly identified Taylor, setting off a speed-dating courtship.

“It was definitely a crazy process,” Taylor explained. “I put my name in the portal, and pretty much that same day I was talking to three or four different coaches. Throughout that first week, interest grew. I talked to West Virginia very early; they were right on the ball and contacted me fairly early. They were one of the first ones to actually offer me.”

He didn’t go into the transfer process blind, though.

“I got recruited by West Virginia in high school a good bit,” he noted. “Everyone grew up watching Tavon Austin’s mixtape, so I knew about West Virginia through that. I watched them some while I was in college as well, but then I got to know them even better through this recruiting process.

“It was good having been through the recruiting process before,” Taylor concluded. “I was able to take what I learned while being recruited in high school and use it — what I did good and what I did bad — this second time in making the right decision.”

Besides Taylor, Miller and Poke, West Virginia also has gained commitments from five other transfers in recent weeks.

Defensive lineman Davoan Hawkins of Tennessee State, defensive lineman Fatorma Mulbah of Penn State, placekicker/punter Michael Hayes of Georgia State, defensive back Keyshawn Cobb of Buffalo and wide receiver Devin Carter of N.C. State announced the Mountaineers as their 2023 destinations.

West Virginia will be Hawkins’ third college — a not-uncommon occurrence in today’s transfer environment.

He originally committed to Kentucky, where he was on the team from 2018-20. The 6-2, 285-pound lineman redshirted in his first season in Lexington, played in one game in 2019, then saw action in nine contests in 2020, recording three tackles.

He then transferred to Tennessee State and played in 18 games in 2021, including seven in the spring and 11 in the fall. (Tennessee State did not play in 2020 due to COVID). He recorded 61 tackles, including 13.5 for losses and seven sacks.

Last season, he added 31 tackles, four TFLs and a sack to his career totals while serving as a team captain for the Tigers, and he also had five quarterback hits, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.

Hawkins will fill a need in West Virginia’s defensive line, which was hit hard with the graduation of Dante Stills and the transfers of Taijh Alston and Jordan Jefferson.

Hawkins hails from Chaminade-Madonna High School in Lauderdale Hill, Florida.

Cobb (6-0, 200) too has followed a winding path. After two seasons at Northeast Mississippi Community College, he played safety for Buffalo in 2022. He was very productive for the Bulls, recording 34 solo tackles and assisting on 32 others while playing as a safety.

He had one interception and eight pass breakups in pass defense, but was also an active defender at the line, adding six tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and four quarterback hits to his one-year line. He rounded out his full stat line with three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.

At Northeast Mississippi, he played in 15 games, recording 60 tackles while picking off two passes and breaking up five more.

Cobb, who played his prep football at Peach County High School in Fort Valley, Georgia, will have two years of eligibility remaining.

A native of Florence, South Carolina, Hayes spent the past three years at Georgia State, handling the Panthers’ punting (41.5-yard average) and kickoffs (63 touchbacks in 128 kicks) from 2020-22.

He added placekicking duties this past season, making 41 of 42 PATs and 11 of 14 field goals with a long of 51 yards. A dean’s list student, Hayes has two seasons of eligibility remaining.

A four-year starter at N.C. State, Carter produced 1,906 receiving yards on 118 receptions from 2018-22, in which he played in 49 games, starting 41. The 6-3, 215-pound native of Clayton, North Carolina, produced 10 touchdowns for the Pack.

Carter had committed to Penn State a couple of weeks ago but flipped to WVU with the hope of adding a significant downfield threat for the Mountaineers, who identified wide receiver as perhaps their most critical position of need after the early departures of Bryce Ford-Wheaton and Sam James, as well as the transfers of Kaden Prather and Reese Smith.

Carter averaged 16 yards per catch over his Wolfpack career and will be counted on to help fill the productivity gap at the position for WVU, which will return just 312 receiving yards from its 2022 team.

The flip completed a fairly rapid transition for Carter, who announced his portal entry on Dec. 13.

The graduate transfer immediately received offers from the Mountaineers and Nittany Lions, along with Georgia State and Old Dominion, then committed to Penn State on Jan. 2 following its Rose Bowl win.

West Virginia and Penn State open the 2023 season in a renewal of a series that has seen 59 meetings between the two schools, although none in the last 30 years.

In addition, WVU saw a player depart its roster recently, as punter/placekicker Kolton McGhee has decided to give up football. He is scheduled to be married in September.

As West Virginia looks to rebuild its football roster for 2023, it is scouring the transfer portal for some immediate help.

The first two commitments the Mountaineers gained from the portal were cornerback Montre Miller and receiver Ja’Shaun Poke, both from Kent State.

Then on Christmas Day, a third transfer announced his intention to enroll at WVU at the start of the spring semester, which began on Jan. 9.

Kole Taylor, a 6-foot-7, 250-pound tight end, had spent the past three years at LSU, but on Dec. 8, he revealed his decision to leave the Tigers in search of a new college home.

Two and a half weeks later, he found one.

“They had a need for a pass catcher at tight end,” said Taylor of the Mountaineers. “During my visit (to WVU), we watched a lot of film of the things they did with Mike O(�Laughlin) and what they did at Troy and a lot of things they plan to do. It is a really good fit for me, and it seems like a place where I can thrive.”

After three seasons with the Tigers, Taylor admitted it wasn’t easy to leave Baton Rouge, but he decided it was the best move for him.

“I made a lot of really good memories at LSU, played in a lot of memorable games. I wouldn’t change anything about my time there, but I felt I needed a fresh start,” Taylor noted. “There was no bad blood leaving there.”

In his time with the Tigers, Taylor played in 32 games, starting seven of them. While at Louisiana State, he caught 17 passes for 159 yards with one touchdown. This past season, he played in 13 games for the SEC West champions (10-4), starting twice while hauling in five receptions for 55 yards.

“This last season, I was more the run-blocking tight end,” said Taylor in an interview on the “MetroNews Statewide Sportsline.” “I adapted to it and grew to love it. That’s not necessarily easy for someone 6-foot-7, but I’ve put in the work in the weight room and have gotten bigger and stronger, which helped me become a good run blocker.”

Taylor was rated one of the nation’s top 10 tight end prospects coming out of Central High School in Grand Junction, Colorado, in the class of 2020. He finished his prep career with 72 catches for 1,084 yards and 18 TDs. Such ability earned him scholarship offers from a couple dozen Power 5 programs, and he also had the academic prowess to gain interest from Ivy League schools as well. He took visits to Arizona State, Washington, Penn State, Missouri and LSU before committing to the Tigers in the summer prior to his senior season at Central.

“Coming out of high school, I was a lengthy tight end, but I was pretty skinny,” he acknowledged, as he weighed 225 pounds before arriving at Louisiana State. “I was mainly a pass catcher in high school, but playing for three years at LSU in the SEC, you learn pretty quickly that you have to be physical and be a good blocker. That’s something I’ve adapted into, and I feel it’s now a strength of my game. I feel I’m still a good pass catcher, so I have a balance of both.”

With the departures of O’Laughlin and Brian Polendey from West Virginia’s roster, Taylor will join a WVU tight end room that is slated to return five other scholarship players this coming year – sophomores-to-be Treylan Davis (6-3, 246 lbs.) and Victor Wikstrom (6-4, 258 lbs.), redshirt freshman Will Dixon (6-5, 230 lbs.) and incoming freshmen Noah Braham (6-2, 225 lbs.) and T.J. Johnson (6-4, 210 lbs.).

“There are already some good dudes in the room, and I’m going to come in and compete with them,” Taylor noted. “I think we’re all going to do our own specific things.”

Taylor will bring size and plenty of experience to that tight end position for the Mountaineers in 2023. Their returning tight ends total barely half of Taylor’s college game reps, and most of those belong to Davis, who played in all 12 games for WVU this past season as well as four in 2021 as a true freshman.

With the need for experience and pass-catching ability at tight end, the Mountaineers searched the portal for someone who could fill those needs. They quickly ID’ed Taylor, setting off a speed-dating courtship.

“It was definitely a crazy process,” Taylor explained. “I put my name in the portal, and pretty much that same day I was talking to three or four different coaches. Throughout that first week, interest grew. I talked to West Virginia very early; they were right on the ball and contacted me fairly early. They were one of the first ones to actually offer me.”

He didn’t go into the transfer process blind, though.

“I got recruited by West Virginia in high school a good bit,” he noted. “Everyone grew up watching Tavon Austin’s mix tape, so I knew about West Virginia through that. I watched them some while I was in college as well, but then I got to know them even better through this recruiting process.

“It was good having been through the recruiting process before,” Taylor concluded. “I was able to take what I learned while being recruited in high school and use it — what I did good and what I did bad — this second time in making the right decision.”

Besides Taylor, Miller and Poke, West Virginia also has gained commitments from five other transfers in recent weeks.

Defensive lineman Davoan Hawkins of Tennessee State, defensive lineman Fatorma Mulbah of Penn State, placekicker/punter Michael Hayes of Georgia State, defensive back Keyshawn Cobb of Buffalo and wide receiver Devin Carter of N.C. State announced the Mountaineers as their 2023 destinations.

West Virginia will be Hawkins’ third college — a not-uncommon occurrence in today’s open transfer environment. He originally committed to Kentucky, where he was on the team from 2018-20. The 6-foot-2, 285-pound lineman redshirted in his first season in Lexington, played in one game in 2019, then saw action in nine contests in 2020, recording three tackles.

He then transferred to Tennessee State, and played in 18 games in 2021, including seven in the spring and 11 in the fall. (Tennessee State did not play in 2020 due to COVID). He recorded 61 tackles including 13.5 for losses and seven sacks.

Last season, he added 31 tackles, four TFLs and a sack to his career totals while serving as a team captain for the Tigers, and he also had five quarterback hits, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.

Hawkins will fill a need in West Virginia’s defensive line, which was hit hard with the graduation of Dante Stills and the transfers of Taijh Alston and Jordan Jefferson.

Hawkins hails from Chaminade-Madonna High School in Lauderdale Hill, Florida.

Cobb (6-0, 200 lbs.) too has followed a winding path. After two seasons at Northeast Mississippi Community College, he played safety for Buffalo in 2022. He was very productive for the Bulls, recording 34 solo tackles and assisting on 32 others while playing as a safety. He had one interception and eight pass breakups in pass defense, but was also an active defender at the line, adding six tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and four quarterback hits to his one-year line. He rounded out his full stat line with three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.

At Northeast Mississippi, he played in 15 games, recording 60 tackles while picking off two passes and breaking up five more.

Cobb, who played his prep football at Peach County High School in Fort Valley, Georgia, will have two years of eligibility remaining.

A native of Florence, South Carolina, Hayes spent the past three years at Georgia State, handling the Panthers’ punting (41.5-yard average) and kickoffs (63 touchbacks in 128 kicks) from 2020-22. He added placekicking duties this past season, making 41 of 42 PATs and 11 of 14 field goals with a long of 51 yards. A dean’s list student, Hayes has two seasons of eligibility remaining.

A four-year starter at N.C. State, Carter produced 1,906 receiving yards on 118 receptions from 2018-22, in which he played in 49 games, starting 41. The 6-3, 215-pound native of Clayton, North Carolina, produced 10 touchdowns for the Pack.

Carter had committed to Penn State a couple of weeks ago but flipped to WVU with the hope of adding a significant downfield threat for the Mountaineers, who identified wide receiver as perhaps their most critical position of need after the early departures of Bryce Ford-Wheaton and Sam James, as well as the transfers of Kaden Prather and Reese Smith. Carter averaged 16 yards per catch over his Wolfpack career and will be counted on to help fill the productivity gap at the position for WVU, which will return just 312 receiving yards from its 2022 team.

The flip completed a fairly rapid transition for Carter, who announced his portal entry on Dec. 13. The graduate transfer immediately received offers from the Mountaineers and Nittany Lions, along with Georgia State and Old Dominion, then committed to Penn State on Jan. 2 following its Rose Bowl win.

West Virginia and Penn State open the 2023 season in a renewal of a series that has seen 59 meetings between the two schools, although none in the last 30 years.

In addition, WVU saw a player depart its roster recently, as punter/placekicker Kolton McGhee has decided to give up football. He is scheduled to be married in September.

West Virginia's football program got a win on Wednesday evening when North Carolina State transfer wide receiver Devin Carter announced he was flipping his transfer commitment from Penn State to the Mountaineers.

A four-year starter with the Wolfpack, Carter produced 1,906 receiving yards on 118 receptions from 2018-22, in which he played in 49 games, starting 41. The 6-3, 215-pound native of Clayton, North Carolina, produced 10 touchdowns for the Pack.

@Coach__Lal let’s work🤝 pic.twitter.com/kuXuBUvCzH— DC (@__d1c) January 12, 2023

Carter hopes to add a significant downfield threat for the Mountaineers, who identified wide receiver as perhaps their most critical position of need after the early departures of Bryce Ford-Wheaton and Sam James, as well as the transfers of Kaden Prather and Reese Smith. He averaged 16 yards per catch over his Wolfpack career, and will be counted on to help fill the productivity gap at the position for WVU, which will return just 312 receiving yards from its 2022 team.

The flip completed a fairly rapid transition for Carter, who announced his portal entry on Dec. 13. The graduate transfer immediately received offers from the Mountaineers and Nittany Lions, along with Georgia State and Old Dominion, then committed to Penn State on Jan. 2 following its Rose Bowl win.

West Virginia and Penn State open the 2023 season in a renewal of a series that has seen 59 meetings between the two schools, although none in the last 30 years.

Carter is West Virginia's seventh scholarship transfer to commit since the end of the season. He joins wide receiver Ja'Shaun Poke (Kent State), tight end Kole Taylor (LSU), kicker Michael Hayes (Georgia State), defensive lineman Davoan Hawkins (Tennessee State), safety Keyshawn Cobb (Buffalo) and cornerback Montre Miller (Kent State) as incoming additions to the Mountaineer program.

WVU's known scholarship count now stands at 78, seven short of the maximum of 85 allowed.

Eight freshmen from West Virginia's list of football signees in the early December period have enrolled for the 2023 spring semester and will be eligible for spring practice. They include:

Sean Boyle – QB, 6-2, 200, Charlotte, N.C./Charlotte Catholic HSBen Cutter – LB, 6-1, 215, Denver, N.C./East Lincoln HSJames Heard Jr. – EDGE, 6-2, 225, Camden, N.J./Camden HSJosiah Jackson – CB, 6-0, 175, Fairfield, Ohio/Fairfield HSTory "TJ" Johnson – TE, 6-4, 215, Chesapeake, Va./Oscar Smith HSJosiah Trotter – LB, 6-2, 230, Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Joseph’s PrepJahiem White – RB, 5-9, 190, York, Pa./William Penn HSJohnny Williams IV – OL, 6-7, 315, Macon, Ga./Northeast HS

That leaves 10 signees from the early group, all of whom are expected to enroll at some point over the summer.

West Virginia also has commitments from five transfers, including wide receivers Ja'Shaun Poke, tight end Kole Taylor, kicker Michael Hayes, defensive back Montre Miller and defensive lineman Davoan Hawkins.

West Virginia’s results from the December football early signing period were, solid, though not necessarily spectacular.

The Mountaineers addressed some of the current and future areas of need in the program, but there are still some big gaps, and short roster groups, that must be filled, mostly via the transfer portal.

The following is an unflinching look at what WVU has been able to obtain so far, both in the early signee pack and in early transfer commitments, and what it still must have if it is to show any improvement in 2023.

This week, we look at the offensive side of the ball, while next week’s focus will shift to the defense and special teamers.

Quarterback — The changing nature of this position has been evident even before the transfer portal was put in place. Signing or obtaining more than one QB per class was an almost guaranteed invitation for a future transfer, and WVU isn’t bucking that trend. Sean Boyle, the lone QB in the Class of 2023, was picked up late and probably won’t challenge Garrett Greene and Nicco Marchiol in the 2023 derby, but he does have a solid resume in throwing the football and has mobility that is closer to Marchiol’s than that of the speedy Greene. The Mountaineers are done at this position for this class, and they will sink or swim on the outcome of the Greene-Marchiol battle.

Running Back — With returnees C.J. Donaldson, Tony Mathis, Justin Johnson and Jaylen Anderson, the Mountaineers looked very good for 2023. Add in freshmen Jahiem White and D.J. Oliver, and they look like they could field a wishbone offense of the 1970s. That’s not going to happen, and some of the predictions about WVU’s offensive changes are similarly overcooked, but without question, West Virginia looks poised to run a lot of two-back sets, and get more blocking, as well as more carries, from its backs, who could also line up as wingbacks or slots.

Some of this is due to the performance of the offensive line, which has improved but which still had a lot of problems in short-yardage situations and in pass protection, and it will be interesting to see how the new offensive coordinator puts all of that together. It’s clear that head coach Neal Brown is looking for more involvement from the backs. While that doesn’t mean the Mountaineers aren’t going to throw the ball, or that they will radically skew the run-pass ratio, it does mean that plans, at least for now, are trending toward a running back-centered attack. There are no more expected additions to this loaded position via the portal.

Wide Receiver — West Virginia’s wide receiver room was nearly emptied via the transfer portal and NFL departures, but to be honest, that might not be all bad. West Virginia’s receivers again struggled to catch the ball consistently in 2022, and while the results were better than those of the prior two years, they were still not optimum. Drops hurt at key moments, as did inconsistent route running, and some bad body language during games that left less than desirable conclusions to be drawn. Maybe a fresh start with youngsters and a couple of holdovers isn’t a bad thing?

If running backs are used to fill more on-field spots, and tight ends, as also indicated by Brown, are targeted for bigger roles, WVU might have a lot of two-receiver sets next year. Incoming freshmen Rodney Gallagher and Traylon Ray, along with returnees Cortez Brown, Jeremiah Aaron, Preston Fox, Jarel Williams and Graeson Malashevich and transfer Ja’Shaun Poke, along with at least one more veteran newcomer via the portal, should be enough to fill the needs at the position, especially if WVU goes with fewer receivers in their formations than it did a year ago. The important factor for all, though, is that they are consistent catchers of the ball and push a better leadership vibe.

Offensive Line — WVU added three incoming freshmen offensive linemen to the 12 it had on scholarship, and it’s time for some of the younger returnees to begin producing. The common narrative, as noted previously, is that the line has improved, but it was not enough to push the Mountaineer offense into the upper levels of Big 12. For players such as Donavan Beaver, Ja’Quay Hubbard and Tomas Rimac, now is the time to push those in front of them to either improve or to step aside — and Rimac, to some degree, did that when he replaced the retired James Gmiter at the end of the 2022 season. The freshmen — Nick Krahe, Johnny Williams and Cooper Young won’t be expected to help immediately, but all are between 6-foot-5 and 6-foot-7, and appear to have the length and mobility to compete down the road. For now, though, it’s on every single lineman to up their games. One transfer wouldn’t hurt either, but with 15 scholarship linemen already on the roster, it would need to be a player of proven on-field performance.

Tight End — This position has been targeted for renovation and revamping for a couple of years now, but injuries to Mike O’Laughlin and a continued outflow of transfers zapped many of those plans. WVU isn’t giving up, though, and will have six scholarship players at the position on the roster for the 2023 season. Returnee Treylan Davis did a good job last season as his playing time increased, and he could find an even more expanded role in 2023. Can he get downfield and catch the ball? He could get help at some point from incoming freshman T.J. Johnson, who is eventually slotted for the position, and from LSU transfer Kole Taylor, who demonstrated ability in that area with the Tigers.

If WVU is to emphasize its backs more, then blocking also becomes an even more key element from the tight ends. Last year it was OK, but it will have to improve if the tight ends are going to be on the field more often. Again, Davis was solid, but can Taylor or at least one of the others help in that area? With incoming freshman Noah Braham joining returnees Will Dixon and Viktor Wikstrom, West Virginia has a number of options, but it’s important to note that just two of the half-dozen (Davis and Taylor) have any sort of Division I game experience.

As West Virginia looks to rebuild its football roster for 2023, it is scouring the transfer portal for some immediate help.

The first two commitments the Mountaineers gained from the portal were cornerback Montre Miller and receiver Ja’Shaun Poke, both from Kent State.

Then on Christmas Day, a third transfer announced his intentions of enrolling at WVU.

Kole Taylor, a 6-foot-7, 250-pound tight end, had spent the past three years at LSU, but on Dec. 8 revealed his decision to leave the Tigers in search of a new college home.

Two and a half weeks later, he found one.

“They had a need for a pass catcher at tight end,” said Taylor of the Mountaineers. “During my visit (to WVU), we watched a lot of film of the things they did with Mike O(�Laughlin) and what they did at Troy and a lot of things they plan to do. It is a really good fit for me, and it seems like a place where I can thrive.”

After three seasons with the Tigers, Taylor admitted it wasn’t easy to leave Baton Rouge, but he decided it was the best move for him.

“I made a lot of really good memories at LSU, played in a lot of memorable games. I wouldn’t change anything about my time there, but I felt I needed a fresh start,” Taylor noted. “There was no bad blood leaving there.”

In his time with the Tigers, Taylor played in 32 games, starting seven of them. While at Louisiana State, he caught 17 passes for 159 yards with one touchdown. This past season, he played in all 13 games for the SEC West champions (9-4), starting twice while hauling in five receptions for 55 yards.

“This last season, I was more the run-blocking tight end,” said Taylor in an interview on the “MetroNews Statewide Sportsline.” “I adapted to it and grew to love it. That’s not necessarily easy for someone 6-foot-7, but I’ve put in the work in the weight room and have gotten bigger and stronger, which helped me become a good run blocker.”

Taylor was rated one of the nation’s top 10 tight end prospects coming out of Central High School in Grand Junction, Colorado, in the class of 2020. He finished his prep career with 72 catches for 1,084 yards and 18 TDs. Such ability earned him scholarship offers from a couple dozen Power 5 programs, and he also had the academic prowess to gain interest from Ivy League schools as well. He took visits to Arizona State, Washington, Penn State, Missouri and LSU before committing to the Tigers in the summer prior to his senior season at Central.

“Coming out of high school, I was a lengthy tight end, but I was pretty skinny,” he acknowledged, as he weighed 225 pounds before arriving at Louisiana State. “I was mainly a pass catcher in high school, but playing for three years at LSU in the SEC, you learn pretty quickly that you have to be physical and be a good blocker. That’s something I’ve adapted into, and I feel it’s now a strength of my game. I feel I’m still a good pass catcher, so I have a balance of both.”

With the departures of O’Laughlin and Brian Polendey from West Virginia’s roster, Taylor will join a WVU tight end room that is slated to feature five other scholarship players this coming year – sophomores-to-be Treylan Davis (6-3, 246 lbs.) and Victor Wikstrom (6-4, 258 lbs.), redshirt freshman Will Dixon (6-5, 230 lbs.) and true freshmen Noah Braham (6-2, 225 lbs.) and T.J. Johnson (6-4, 210 lbs.).

“There are already some good dudes in the room, and I’m going to come in and compete with them,” Taylor noted. “I think we’re all going to do our own specific things.”

Taylor will bring size and plenty of experience to that tight end position for the Mountaineers. Their returning tight ends total barely half of Taylor’s college game reps, and most of those belong to Davis, who played in all 12 games for WVU this past season as well as four in 2021 as a true freshman.

With the need for experience and pass-catching ability at tight end, the Mountaineers searched the portal for someone who could fill those needs. They quickly ID’ed Taylor, setting off a speed-dating courtship.

“It was definitely a crazy process,” Taylor explained. “I put my name in the portal, and pretty much that same day I was talking to three or four different coaches. Throughout that first week, interest grew. I talked to West Virginia very early; they were right on the ball and contacted me fairly early. They were one of the first ones to actually offer me.”

He didn’t go into the transfer blind, though.

“I got recruited by West Virginia in high school a good bit,” he noted. “Everyone grew up watching Tavon Austin’s mix tape, so I knew about West Virginia through that. I watched them some while I was in college as well, but then I got to know them even better through this recruiting process.

“It was good having been through the recruiting process before,” Taylor concluded. “I was able to take what I learned while being recruited in high school and use it – what I did good and what I did bad – this second time in making the right decision.”

West Virginia football head coach Neal Brown has been trying to expand the roles of tight ends in the Mountaineer offense the past couple of seasons, and reiterated that plan on the first day of the early signing period last week. He and the WVU program took a step in that direction on Christmas evening when Kole Taylor announced that he will be joining the team.

Let’s work🔵🟡 #HailWV pic.twitter.com/Tir51bPhtI— Kole Taylor (@KoleTaylor3) December 25, 2022

Taylor announced his entry into the transfer portal from LSU on Dec. 8. He saw his playing time at LSU decrease this season, and decided to look elsewhere for a chance to reverse that track.

At six feet, seven inches and 250 pounds, Taylor certainly has the size to be both a quality blocker and a big target in the passing game, although he was not thrown to often in the Tigers' offense. In three seasons at LSU, the Grand Junction, Colorado, native started seven of the 32 games in which he appeared, catching 17 passes for 159 yards and one score.

As the 2020 season does not count against eligibility, Taylor will have three years in which to play his final two seasons.

“This isn’t something I took lightheartedly … I’ve loved my time at LSU," he told the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. "I think the biggest thing is that I want to go somewhere that fits best for me as a player, I like the team, I love my teammates and coaches … It was something I needed to do for my career and future … This was a long time coming, not an overnight decision.”

During Taylor's freshman season, he earned notoriety when his shoe was pulled off and thrown by Florida's Marco Wilson late in LSU's game against the Gators with the score tied. The resulting penalty gave LSU a first down and led to its game-winning 57-yard field goal.

Taylor is the third transfer to verbally commit to WVU this month. Cornerback Montre Miller and wide receiver Ja'Shaun Poke, both of Kent State, committed earlier in December.

KOLE TAYLOR LSU SOPHOMORE SEASON (2021)

Played in 12 games, starting 3 times …Starts came against McNeese, at Kentucky and Louisiana-Monroe … Scored first collegiate touchdown on a 41-yard reception in win over Mississippi State … The 41-yard catch was longest of his career … Had career-best 4 receptions for 22 yards in win over McNeese … Added a 5-yard catch against Arkansas … Finished season with 6 receptions for 68 yards and a touchdown.

KOLE TAYLOR LSU FRESHMAN SEASON (2020)

Played in seven games, starting twice … Caught six passes for 36 yards … Biggest catch of career thus far was a 4-yard reception on third-and-10 in fourth quarter in win over Florida … On that play, his cleat came off and Florida defender tossed it down field, resulting in an unsportsmanlike penalty … The result was a first down, which extended LSU’s game-winning drive … Had three receptions for 11 yards vs. Florida and followed that with two catches, including a 20-yarder, the following week in win over Ole Miss … First career catch came against Texas A&M.

KOLE TAYLOR HIGH SCHOOL

One of the nation’s top tight end prospects in the Class of 2020 … Outstanding all-around player from Central High School in Grand Junction, Colorado … Hauled in 25 catches for 331 yards and five touchdowns as a senior in 2019 … As a junior, caught 29 passes for 510 yards and eight TDs … Caught 18 passes for 243 yards and a pair of TDs as a sophomore … Totaled 1,084 yards receiving and 18 touchdowns during his high school career … Coached by Brandon Milholland … Enrolled at LSU in January of 2020.