Recruiting Update

West Virginia received its eighth verbal commitment for the 2009 football recruiting class when offensive guard Jordan Weingart said he wanted be a Mountaineer.

Weingart is a 6-foot-3, 290-pound guard from F.W. Buchholz High School in Gainesville, Fla.

According to Rivals.com, he was recruited by WVU associate head coach Doc Holliday, when Holliday was a member of Florida’s coaching staff. Holliday continued pursuing Weingart once he got to WVU and convinced him to play football for WVU.

According to Scout.com, Weingart is the No.29-ranked overall offensive guard and is rated as a three-star prospect.

Scout reported Weingart received offers from West Virginia and East Carolina.

Scouts, Inc provided ESPN an analysis of Weingart. The scout’s grade they gave him was a 75, which translates as a ‘Good Prospect.’

The detailed scouting report said Weingart was talented and tenacious, technically sound, aggressive and mobile. “Pound for pound and inch for inch Weingart is as good as there is up front,” read the scouting report.

Scouts, Inc reported Weingart also considered South Florida, Miami, Florida State and Florida.

Rutgers and West Virginia are in the recruiting hunt for a highly touted running back named Desmond Scott.

Scott is listed at 5-foot-9 179 pounds on his Scout.com profile and is from Hillside High in Durham, N.C.

Mitch Vingle, of The Charleston Gazette, spoke with Javar Branson, who is Scott’s high school coach. Branson said Scott had been offered by Auburn, Alabama, Clemson, Rutgers, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, Virginia and West Virginia.

“He’s a versatile back and a very coachable kid,” Branson told Vingle.

Scott is listed as the nation’s No. 2-rated all-purpose running back by Rivals.com

Scott said the recruiting race was even with all the schools and said to Vingle, “I’d like to get to West Virginia soon to see what they have to offer … In the next three to four weeks I’d like to get there.”

“I like [West Virginia's] spread offense,” Scott told Vingle. “I like Coach Holliday. He’s very down-to-earth. Also, I’ve talked to two of their commitments, the quarterback and wide receiver. They’ve told me all about the program. I want to see what it’s about.”

The quarterback and receiver Scott mentioned were other WVU verbal commits Tajh Boyd and Logan Heastie. It is reported the two future Mountaineers are actively trying to help WVU land other standout prep prospects.

Scott’s 40-yard dash time is 4.47 and that type of speed has become a staple of WVU football lately. He would fit into the offense and could make a major impact as WVU attempts to claim future Big East Championships and that elusive national championship.

Rivals reported Scott enjoyed his visit to Rutgers and his decision could come in the next two weeks.

Scout lists Rutgers and WVU as the only two schools that still have ‘high interest’ from Scott.

It isn’t known yet when Scott will make his official visit to Morgantown.

Vingle also reported WVU is seeking other blue-chip running backs including highly-touted south Florida back Jaamal Berry, Lamar Miller and Daquan Hargrett. Miller and Hargrett are standout backs from Miami. Berry, who runs a 4.38 forty, has offers from 25 to 30 schools in the south and is recognized as the best tailback from Florida, the country’s most fertile recruiting state for skill players and speed.

WVU is clearly building the future for a continued lethal, ground assault with sizzling speedy superstars. The foundation has been laid by Patrick White and Steve Slaton. Noel Devine is on the brink on stardom. Who will emerge as the next great Mountaineer?