MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Brandon Lawless wasn’t heavily recruited out of Crespi Carmelite (Calif.) High School, and wasn’t deterred.
After one season at Santa Monica College, the 6-foot-4, 260-pound defensive end transferred to Los Angeles Valley City College this spring and attracted his first FBS offers from Wyoming and New Mexico State, but those weren’t validation enough.
Lawless finally attracted his first Power Five offer this week, courtesy of West Virginia, and immediately jumped at the chance. He’s slated to enroll in August as a late addition to the 2016 class and will have four years to play three.
West Virginia assistant Bruce Tall first encountered Lawless while scouting juco teammate Raveon Hoston, a defensive end who subsequently signed with North Texas this month.
After making 7 1/2 sacks as a freshman, Lawless likely would have attracted more major-college interest with another season in the juco ranks. But he told Rivals writer Keenan Cummings that West Virginia’s offer was too enticing to bypass.
“The city of Morgantown appreciates football and the environment there seems awesome,” Lawless said.