The West Virginia Mountaineers added a major piece to their 2025 recruiting class on Monday with the signing of four-star linebacker Jayden Carter from Buford High School in Georgia. Carter, a 6-foot-2, 225-pound inside linebacker, chose WVU over offers from Florida State, Tennessee, and Penn State.
Ranked as the No. 17 linebacker in the country and the No. 182 overall player by 247Sports, Carter is widely praised for his sideline-to-sideline speed, high football IQ, and his physicality in the run game. His commitment addresses a significant need for the Mountaineers, who have been aggressively pursuing linebacker help following depth concerns and the departure of veteran Josiah Trotter to the transfer portal earlier this year.
“Jayden is a tone-setter,” WVU head coach Neal Brown said in a statement. “He’s got natural instincts, he plays fast, and he’s everything we want in a Big 12 linebacker. His ability to drop into coverage and blitz off the edge gives us tremendous versatility on defense.”
Carter made his official visit to Morgantown in September and cited the family atmosphere and opportunity for early playing time as key factors in his decision.
“They showed me love from the start,” Carter said. “Coach Lesley broke down how I’d fit in their scheme, and I feel like I can come in and compete right away. This is a defense on the rise, and I want to be a part of that.”
Carter’s signing gives the Mountaineers their 12th commitment of the 2025 cycle and their second at linebacker, joining in-state prospect Kameron Steele from Martinsburg. With Carter on board, WVU now ranks No. 24 nationally in the On3 Consensus Team Recruiting Rankings.
WVU continues to pursue more defensive talent to shore up depth at linebacker and in the secondary, but the addition of Carter is a strong signal that the Mountaineers are serious about reloading for a more aggressive and athletic defense moving forward.
