6:00pm: Sportsline with Tony Caridi

Defensive end commit Aaron Lewis flips from West Virginia to Michigan

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — In the wacky world of college football recruiting, anything can happen until the second the fax arrives with a player’s signed letter of intent. In one prominent case, a player’s mom even hijacked the letter before it could get to its intended destination.

In that context, it is little surprise when a player flips to another school less than a week after stumping for other players to join him at the school where he was already committed. Such is the case for three-star defensive end Aaron Lewis, who on Sunday decided to change his commitment from West Virginia to Michigan.

At least there was less hubbub than the last time a figure related to the WVU football program decided he would be better off in Ann Arbor.

As recently as June 16, Lewis posted a tweet celebrating defensive back David Vincent-Okoli’s commitment to the Mountaineers.

When he announced his commitment to West Virginia on April 17, Lewis told Rivals’ Keenan Cummings, “I’m a loyal guy. When I made my decision, I made my decision. These coaches if they try to call me, text me, all of that — I’m loyal to the Mountaineers and I’m loyal to West Virginia.”

But a secretive visit to Michigan this weekend was enough to change Lewis’ mind.

The 6-foot-5, 240-pound prospect from Williamstown, N.J. made the decision just a day after the Mountaineers picked up a commitment from fellow New Jersey prospect Chris Mayo, a four-star offensive tackle. Lewis advocated for Mayo and inside linebacker Tirek Austin-Cave, another New Jersey product, to join the Mountaineers when the trio visited Morgantown on June 9.

The Mountaineers are down to nine committed prospects. The early signing period begins on Dec. 18.

West Virginia’s commitments for 2020:

Chris Mayo (Richland, N.J. )              6-5, 305 OL          4 stars

Garrett Greene (Tallahassee, Fla.)           6-0, 175 QB          4 stars

Zach Frazier (Fairmont, W.Va.)              6-2, 277 OL           3 stars

Jairo Faverus (Filton, England)             6-0, 190 CB           3 stars

David Okoli (Gaithersburg, Md.)           5-11, 176 CB           3 stars

Lanell Carr (St. Louis, Mo.)                     6-3, 230 OLB           3 stars

Reese Smith (Danville, Ky.)          5-11, 175              WR         3 stars

Devell Washington (Bay City, Mich.)        6-4, 215 WR         3 stars

S.L. McCall (Iowa Western CC/Lake City, Fla.)      6-3, 200 OLB        3 stars





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