MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Jalen Thornton, whose father John was a West Virginia standout and 10-year NFL veteran, committed to the Mountaineers on Friday, becoming their fourth pledge for the 2019 class.
A 6-foot-3, 245-pound defensive end at Indian Hill High School in Cincinnati, Thornton is rated a three-star prospect by Rivals. His early offers include Kentucky, Iowa State, Cincinnati and Marshall.
Thornton told Rivals that his dad’s legacy at WVU (1995-1998) made him grow up a fan.
“It’s home, you know,” he said.
After receiving an offer last summer from West Virginia, Thornton made 91 tackles and five sacks as a junior to earn third-team all-state honors.
“He displays good power at the high school level and the lateral quickness to stretch things out,” said Rivals writer Keenan Cummings of WVSports.com. “Plus he looks comfortable in a three-man scheme.”
