The 2026 class was a mighty successful one for Rich Rodriguez and the West Virginia Mountaineers. They landed in the top 25 in virtually every outlet's recruiting rankings, setting the stage for brighter days ahead.
WVU did have two players committed for the 2027 class in linebacker Minikon Johnson and running back Armand Hill, but both have reopened their recruitment, currently leaving WVU's class empty.
Tooele, Utah, linebacker Broncs Baker is a name you'll want to keep a very close eye on throughout the spring and potentially over the summer. He is someone that West Virginia has been in hot pursuit of for quite some time, and there is strong interest from Baker as well. Recently, Baker released his top six schools, with the Mountaineers set to battle it out against the likes of Boise State, Michigan, Oregon State, Virginia Tech, and Washington State. Arizona State, Cal, Kansas State, UNLV, and a few others have extended offers, but did not make the cut.
When asked what stuck out about WVU, Baker told West Virginia On SI, "I absolutely love their linebacker coaches. Coach Warwick did a home visit, and my family loved everything he was preaching about culture and team. They are recruiting me hard."
Baker also informed me that he will be taking a visit to Morgantown on March 7th.
It doesn't take long to figure out why Rodriguez and his staff love this guy. He plays the game with max effort, intensity, and has an edge to him. Can deliver some big-time hits over the middle of the field and in space, too, if he takes a good angle. He plays the run exceptionally well, constantly navigating his way through the offensive line to make a play at or behind the line of scrimmage. Oh, and he can hold his own in zone coverage, too.
As a junior, he tallied 66 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and two sacks.
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