The transfer portal can giveth and taketh. West Virginia has certainly experienced both sides of the coin and today we look at the ten best players that have exited the program through the transfer portal since Neal Brown has taken over.
West Virginia
WVSports – What has West Virginia lost in the portal?
Mesidor was a two-year starter for West Virginia beginning his true freshman year and then into his sophomore season. He recorded 70 tackles and 6 sacks bouncing back and forth between multiple spots and seemed primed to take an even large step forward in his third year. However, the Canadian import elected to surprisingly enter the transfer portal and leave behind his career in Morgantown. Mesidor committed to Miami where he has been highly productive when on the field. As a sophomore Mesidor recorded 38 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 7 sacks but was limited to just three games as a junior after an injury. Still has one season remaining in his career.
Sills was a two-year starter for West Virginia at offensive guard and earned all-conference honors for his performance in the final year of the Dana Holgorsen era. Well, he played in only two games in 2019 before opting to have shoulder surgery in order to repair things. That would be the last that Sills would play for the Mountaineers as he elected to enter the transfer portal after graduating and ended up at Oklahoma State. He started 23 of 25 games as a Cowboy and was an honorable mention Big 12 selection in 2020 and followed that up as a first-teamer in 2021. There’s no question that Sills is one of the best players that has left under Brown.
Smith was a two-year starter for West Virginia but elected to enter his name into the transfer portal at the start of spring football. During his time on the field at West Virginia he recorded 114 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 4 interceptions. Transferred to Georgia where he appeared in only one game during his first season but 27 over the next two including an impressive senior campaign with 68 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and 4 interceptions for the Bulldogs. One of the more talented pieces to exit.
Brown was a massive pick-up for West Virginia out of the high school ranks but it never came together on the field during his time in Morgantown. He showed flashes hauling in 10 catches for 108 yards but simply couldn’t play his way into a larger role. Elected to leave the program and ended up at Houston. Over two seasons Brown has caught 103 passes for 1,286 yards and 7 touchdowns for the Cougars and still has two years left. He has made good on that potential he flashed as a recruit.
Chandler-Semedo elected to return for his fifth season at the college level and it appeared would reprise his role as a starting linebacker after finishing with 110 tackles last season. However, he elected to enter his name into the transfer portal in February of his final campaign. During his time with the Mountaineers, Chandler-Semedo was a two-time all-Big 12 selection and had a robust stat line over his time on the field 260 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 5 forced fumbles and 3 interceptions. Spent his final season at Colorado where Chandler-Semedo played 743 snaps and finished with 101 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 3 sacks for the Buffaloes.
Woods came to West Virginia from Illinois State and it appeared as if he would have a strong career for the Mountaineers. Woods earned all-Big 12 pre-season honors for his play during the 2021 season where he finished with 31 tackles and 2 interceptions. However, was injured in the opening game against Pittsburgh the following season and was only able to play limited snaps across four games. Woods elected to enter the transfer portal yet again and ended up at SMU for his final year where he recorded 21 tackles while starting every game and finished with high coverage marks.
Jennings played in 18 games during his time at West Virginia and seemed primed for a major breakout after a productive freshman season but struggled with an injury in pre-season camp and saw his time limited as a sophomore. Transferred to Old Dominion where he spent two seasons. In 2021 Jennings led the team 1,066 receiving yards and then repeated that feat in 2022 with 54 receptions for 959 yards and nine touchdowns. Jennings then transferred yet again to Virginia Tech where he appeared in just two games due to injury but is expected to return for a final season.
Jefferson spent four seasons with the West Virginia football program and recorded 54 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks during that time. The Florida native arrived young in Morgantown and developed over his career to where he put together the best season in 2022 recording 31 tackles and 3 sacks. Committed to spend his final year at LSU where he started the final five games of the year and finished with 34 tackles, 6 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. The good news is West Virginia had players emerge in his spot at the nose and his impact wasn’t missed as much as it could have been.
One of the highest-rated recruits for West Virginia in the past several years, Prather spend two seasons with the Mountaineers with his second being the most productive. Prather entered the transfer portal after collecting 52 catches for 501 yards and 3 touchdowns and ended up at Maryland. There he caught 41 passes for 609 yards and 5 touchdowns and still have one season of eligibility remaining in his career.
Porter saw limited action in 2020, but grew to a full-time role the next season playing in all 13 games while recording 46 tackles, 1 interception and 6 pass breakups. Entered the transfer portal in February and ended up at Miami. In his first season with the Hurricanes Porter was limited to just 205 snaps, but started every game he played this past season. Over eight games, Porter had 21 tackles and 3 passes defended. He has one season of eligibility remaining heading into the 2024 campaign.
Others worth mentioning: LB Jared Bartlett, DB Jackie Matthews (Mississippi State), DL Mike Lockhart (SMU), CB Nicktroy Fortune (Texas San Antonio), S Kerry Martin (Akron).
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The following events happened on these dates in West Virginia history, compiled by the West Virginia Humanities Council from its online encyclopedia, e-WV.
April 19, 1896: Writer Melville Davisson Post was born in Harrison County. His best-known works are the Randolph Mason series, published in three volumes, and the more successful collection Uncle Abner: Master of Mysteries.
April 19, 1902: Author Jean Lee Latham was born in Buckhannon. She wrote a number of children’s books, including Carry On, Mr. Bowditch, which won the 1956 Newbery Award.
April 20, 1823: Gen. Jesse Lee Reno was born in Wheeling. He graduated from West Point in 1846 with another cadet from western Virginia, Thomas J. Jackson, later known as “Stonewall.” Reno was the highest-ranking officer from present West Virginia killed in the Civil War.
April 20, 1863: President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation that in 60 days, West Virginia would become a state. The occasion was marked 100 years later during the state’s Centennial celebration with a special ceremonial session of the West Virginia Legislature on April 20, 1963, in Wheeling.
April 20, 1909: Fiddler Melvin Wine was born near Burnsville in Braxton County. A favorite of old-time music enthusiasts nationally, he was chosen as a National Heritage Fellow in 1991 by the National Endowment for the Arts — the highest recognition given to a folk artist in the United States.
April 20, 1939: Poet Irene McKinney was born in Belington, Barbour County. Gov. Gaston Caperton appointed her state poet laureate in 1993, and she served in that capacity until her death in 2012.
April 21, 1908: Musician Phoeba Cottrell Parsons was born in Calhoun County. Parsons’ traditional clawhammer banjo style, unaccompanied ballad singing, riddles and storytelling have influenced countless younger musicians.
April 21, 1936: President Franklin Roosevelt established the Jefferson National Forest. The West Virginia portion of the forest includes about 19,000 acres in Monroe County.
April 22, 1908: Marshall “Little Sleepy” Glenn was born in Elkins. Glenn coached basketball at West Virginia University from 1934 to 1938 and football from 1937 to 1940. He was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 1992.
April 22, 1948: Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and musician Larry Groce was born in Dallas, Texas. He is best known as the longtime host and artistic director of the Mountain Stage radio program.
April 22, 2003: Activist Judy Bonds, a Raleigh County native, received the Goldman Environmental Prize for her fight against mountaintop removal mining. Her efforts inspired thousands and turned a local West Virginia issue into a national cause.
April 23, 1857: Andrew S. Rowan was born in Gap Mills, Monroe County. Rowan, a military officer, was chosen as the messenger when President William McKinley wanted to send a message to Cuban Gen. Calixto Garcia during the Spanish-American War. The 1899 pamphlet A Message to Garcia made the incident famous.
April 24, 1865: McNeill’s Rangers surrendered to Union troops at New Creek — now Keyser. The Confederate guerrilla force probably never numbered more than 100 men at any time but managed to inflict regular damage on Union operations.
April 25, 1863: In what became known as the Jones-Imboden Raid, about 1,500 Confederate soldiers under Gen. William “Grumble” Jones advanced through Greenland Gap, a deep pass through New Creek Mountain in present Grant County. The Confederates encountered 87 Union soldiers who held off several assaults before finally surrendering.
April 25, 1923: Union leader Arnold Ray Miller was born at Leewood on Cabin Creek in Kanawha County. In December 1972, he defeated Tony Boyle to become president of the United Mine Workers and served until 1979.
e-WV is a project of the West Virginia Humanities Council. For more information, contact the council at 1310 Kanawha Blvd. E., Charleston, WV 25301, call 304-346-8500 or visit wvencyclopedia.org.
During the Gold-Blue spring game on Saturday, the West Virginia coaching staff named wide receiver Cyrus Traught the recipient of the 2026 Tommy Nikolich Award.
The award, which is always given out at the end of spring ball, recognizes a walk-on team member who has distinguished himself through his attitude and work ethic. The award is presented in memory of Tommy Nickolich, a former WVU player (1980-82) who passed away from cancer in 1983.
Traugh is a Parkersburg native and graduate of Parkersburg South High School. He began his career at Youngstown State before transferring back home to play for the Mountaineers last season. In his final year with the Penguins, he logged 36 receptions, 409 yards, and a team-leading five touchdowns, two of which came against Pitt.
During the 2025 campaign with the Mountaineers, he saw action against Robert Morris and Kansas, playing 10 snaps against the Jayhawks, but did not record any stats.
Head coach Rich Rodriguez has mentioned him twice this spring as someone who has been doing some good things and making progress. Wide receivers coach Ryan Garrett also showed him some love during his press conference last week.
The Mountaineers completely revamped the wide receiver room this offseason, upping the level of talent at both inside and outside receiver spots, but perhaps Traugh can work his way into the mix if he puts together a strong summer and fall camp. If he’s not a regular in the rotation, he’ll serve as a quality depth piece who can play special teams.
Past Nickolich Award winners:
2025: Clay Ash, RB
2024: Avery Wilcox, S
2023: C.J. Cole, WR
2022: Nick Malone, OL
2021: Graeson Malashevich, WR/H
2020: Osman Kamara, S
2019: Jake Abbott, LB
2018: Evan Staley, K
2017: Nick Meadows, LS
2016: Jon Lewis, DL
2015: Justin Arndt, LB
2014: Michael Calicchio, OL
2013: Connor Arlia, WR
2012: Tyler Anderson, DE
2011: Ryan Nehlen, WR
2010: Matt Lindamood, FB
2009: Josh Taylor, DL
2008: Adam Hughes, LS
2007: Andy Emery, LB
2006: Tim Lindsey, LS
2005: George Shehl, H/DB
2004: Jeff Noechel, LB
2003: John Pennington, WR
2002: Moe Fofana, RB
2001: Jeremy Knapp, TE
2000: Ben Collins, LB
1999: Bryan Lorenz, LB
1998: Mark Corman, TE
1997: David Lightcap, DB
1996: Matt Ceresa, OL
1995: Rob Keys, DB
1994: Randy Fulmore, DB
1993: Matt McCulty, WR
1992: Brett Parise, WR, Ray Wilcox, LB
1991: Keith Taparausky, RB
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