WVU’s top defensive back targets

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — As the summer camps circuit begins, football recruits in the class of 2014 recruits are gaining scholarship offers and narrowing their college choices.

Today, with the assistance of WVSports.com senior writer Keenan Cummings, who focuses on recruiting for the Rivals network, we look at a collection of defensive backs who represent some of West Virginia’s top targets:

Dravon Henry
Safety • Aliquippa (Pa.) High

Dravon Henry

“Henry is one of the most talented safety prospects in the entire country and has West Virginia in his current top four along with Ohio State, Pittsburgh and Penn State,” Cummings said. “He visited during the spring and left extremely impressed with both the coaching staff and the campus. Henry plans to return to campus this summer, while also visiting the rest of his top four schools. A big-athletic safety who can come up and hit, or drop back into coverage, Henry is the complete package at that spot.”

Rivals ranks the 5-foot-11, 190-pound Henry as the nation’s No. 12 cornerback prospect and 157th overall. Programs such as Florida State, UCLA, Michigan, Arkansas, Wisconsin and Tennessee also have offered Henry.

DeAndre Scott
Cornerback • Philadelphia (Pa.) Imhotep Inst Charter

DeAndre Scott

Scott stands 5-8, 180 pounds and has offers from programs such as Texas, Nebraska, Pitt, Penn State, South Carolina, Maryland and Virginia. Rivals ranks him the nation’s No. 47 cornerback prospect.

“He has upwards of 30 offers, but West Virginia is one of the schools standing out the most at this point,” Cummings said. “A skilled cover cornerback who just makes plays when the ball is in the air, Scott would be a huge addition to West Virginia’s 2014 efforts.”

Anthony Davis
Cornerback/safety • Monroeville (Pa.) Gateway High

Anthony Davis

Another Keystone State product, the 6-1, 175-pounder is a three-star recruit that Rivals ranks as the nation’s 36th-best cornerback prospect. He has West Virginia high on his list.

“Davis is a big cornerback or safety prospect who is versatile enough to find a home at either position in college,” Cumming said. “He is close friends with current wide receiver commitment Ricky Rogers and has visited Morgantown multiple times, including being present when his teammate committed to the Mountaineers.

“Earlier in the spring Davis said that the West Virginia offer had been the one he was waiting for and undoubtedly the coaches would want to add him to the 2014 class.”

Vayante Copeland
Cornerback/safety • Dayton (Ohio) Thurgood Marshall High

Vayante Copeland

A 6-foot, 180-pounder with 4.47 speed, Copeland is rated by Rivals as the nation’s 50th-best running back prospect, but he’s open to moving to the defensive side of the ball, and different programs envision utilizing him differently.

“Currently has a top four of West Virginia, Michigan State, Cincinnati and Duke,” Cummings said. “Copeland has the skills to be a dynamic running back in college, but wants to spend his time in the secondary.

“He grew up a fan of West Virginia and knows several people with ties to the program, including 2013 linebacker signee Darrien Howard, but it won’t be easy for WVU to sign him. Copeland has yet to visit Morgantown, although he’s expecting to make that happen sometime in June.”

Darrius White
Cornerback • Trinity Valley (Texas) Community College

Darrius White

At 5-10, 180 pounds, White only holds one official FBS offer — which West Virginia extended in April — but two other Big 12 programs, Baylor and Iowa State, are showing interest.

“There are several junior college defensive backs out there right now on WVU’s radar, but West Virginia is very solidly out front at the moment on White,” Cummings said.

“White will have two years of eligibility remaining and expects to visit Morgantown on Sept. 1. The coaches have been recruiting the junior college level at defensive back to bring in more seasoned players and White fits that bill. If things continue to progress the way they are currently going, it’s hard to imagine he will leave campus without selecting WVU.







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