(Graphic Illustration - Monday Morning Quarterback - WVU Football - Image rendered through the use of ChatGPT)

MORGANTOWN – The first National Signing Day period started at 7 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3, and just three minutes later, West Virginia inked its first signee, setting up a big day for Rich Rodriguez and his staff.

Three-star wide receiver Charlie Hanafin signed at 7:03 a.m., and just two minutes later, another signed, and then another, and another. The floodgates opened. After the first hour, 11 players signed with the Mountaineers. 26 signed before 9 a.m.

Rodriguez said he’d have a big high school and junior college recruiting class, and it showed in just the first couple of hours. He expected 30-35, and that was true. He had over 40 before his press conference at 4 p.m.

Most of the expected signees signed, but there were some surprises, which were hinted at over the past couple of weeks.

Here is what you missed on Day 1 of National Signing Day.

WVU flips Matt Sieg, Amari Latimer

WVU’s biggest win on the day was flipping and signing 4-star safety Matt Sieg from Penn State. Sieg didn’t even have WVU in his top 5, which included Virginia Tech, Pitt and Notre Dame, but made a late push in the last 48 hours leading up to his flip.

Sieg is the fifth-best player in Pennsylvania and the 16th-best safety in the 2026 class. He became WVU’s second-best player in the class and a top 20 WVU recruit in the modern era. It’s another major score for Rodriguez.

Sieg had been committed to Penn State since last November. After James Franklin was fired this season, Sieg had a decision to make. It took him a while, and he was one of the lone players left from the Nittany Lions class, but ultimately chose the school just 45 minutes south of where he lived in Fort Cherry.

Sieg can be an instant playmaker in WVU’s secondary, with a lot of seniors running out of eligibility after this season. He’s a multiple sport athlete who’s run track, played baseball and basketball. Sieg helped the Fort Cherry relay team capture back-to-back WPIAL titles in the 4×100.

On the gridiron, Sieg set records at quarterback in high school and had 2,259 all-purpose yards and 30 touchdowns, according to his “X” account. At defensive back, Sieg had four interceptions and took two back for touchdowns. Sieg and Rodriguez want him to play both ways in college.

Rodriguez wasn’t done there. Later in the afternoon, just after Rodriguez’s press conference, 4-star running back Amari Latimer announced his flip from Wisconsin to sign with the Mountaineers, becoming the third 4-star for the class. Latimer was committed to the Badgers since late June.

The Tyrone, Georgia, product is ranked as the 19th-best running back in the class and the 35th-best player in the state. Latimer is a bigger back listed at 6-foot, 228 pounds. He’s the all-time leading rusher at Sandy Creek High School and rushed for seven touchdowns in one game in 2025. He was a candidate for the Georgia Gatorade Player of the Year, given to the best player in the state.

Rodriguez was giddy during his press conference and tried to extend it a little longer so he could talk about Latimer, but it ended just before Latimer made the decision. Latimer has the speed, running track in high school, which was what Rodriguez was looking for in most of his recruits.

Other flips

The big splashes were flipping Sieg and Latimer, but Rodriguez persuaded some other players to switch schools.

The first was 3-star in-state tight end Xavier Anderson, who chose the Mountaineers over Cincinnati. Anderson is ranked as the fourth-best player in West Virginia out of Spring Mills High School, and his brother, quarterback Max Anderson, is on the team now. He is the 107th tight end in the class. With Anderson’s commitment, WVU has two of the top four recruits in the class.

Just an hour later, WVU got some more receiving help. Slot receiver Greg Wilfred switched from UTSA to the Mountaineers. Wilfred is a 3-star receiver out of Louisiana and the 52nd-best receiver in the class. Wilfred is a speedy receiver who returned kicks and punts in high school, also.

WVU also flipped quarterback/defensive back John Johnson later in the day. Johnson was originally committed to Washington State. Johnson, nicknamed “Hollywood,” is a 3-star signee and ranked the 37th-best player in Louisiana, who is another dual-threat quarterback, fitting nicely into Rodriguez’s scheme. Johnson had 1,051 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground.

Keon Hutchins changes his mind

Just two days before National Signing Day, top junior college wide receiver Keon Hutchins announced his decommitment from the Mountaineers. He had been committed since early November.

Hutchins changed his mind and signed with the Mountaineers just a little after 8 a.m. It was a big addition for WVU, who could use a deep threat option down the road with some key departures this year in the receiver room.

Hutchins is the consensus best junior college receiver available. He had 34 catches for 635 yards and six touchdowns last year at Northwest Mississippi Community College. Hutchins’ performance earned him (MACCC) All-Region 23 team. At 6-foot, Hutchins could make an immediate impact next year as a deep threat.

Later, Kedrick Triplett signed with WVU, too, giving the Mountaineers two of the top five receivers at the JUCO level.

Kevin Brown makes it official

It was one of those believe it when you see it situations, even if Kevin Brown burned a couch during his commitment. It still seemed too good to be true. Well, Brown officially signed with WVU at 8:02 a.m.

Brown is now the fourth-highest recruit to sign with the Mountainers in modern history, and WVU’s first consensus 4-star to sign. Cornerback Vincent Smith is a 4-star on some recruiting sites, but not a consensus. Brown is rated as the second-best player in Pennsylvania and seventh-best tackle in the class.

Brown is a legacy recruit, as his dad, Tim Brown, played for Rodriguez in the early years of his time at WVU. Tim said he was heartbroken when Rodriguez was named the head coach because Kevin already committed to Penn State, but after James Franklin was fired, Kevin made the switch. Brown had Ohio State and North Carolina in his top three.

A new punter

West Virginia punted a lot in 2025, 66 times to be exact. Oliver Straw punted the most he’s ever had to in a single season for the Mountaineers. Straw ran out of eligibility, so WVU will need a replacement.

A little past 8:30, WVU signed Australian punter Chase Ridley, and he’s a big guy. Ridley stands at 6-foot-2, 233 pounds. He played Australian rules football out of high school and has been training at Prokick Australia in Melbourne. Ridley can roll out punt and have a traditional spiral, which is what Rodriguez prefers.

Ridley continues the Australian punter history at WVU, becoming the third.