The 2017 Mountaineer football profile series continues with defensive players this week. Reese Donahue is a West Virginia boy through and through. Hailing from Ona, Donahue played sparingly as a freshman but made those snaps count.
Reese Donahue, DE, #46
Year: Sophomore
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 263
Hometown: Ona, WV
High School: Cabell Midland
How he got to Morgantown
Reese Donahue hailed from Ona and in a rare year where the state produced more than just a handful of Division I talent. Reese, depending on which site you used, ranked near the top of the state rankings. He enjoyed a stellar high school career at Cabell Midland, where he became the first player ever to win both Stydhar Award (Best Offensive Lineman) and Huff Award (Best Defensive Player). He was recruited by D-Line coach Bruce Tall and DC Tony Gibson himself.
2017 Prospectus
Donahue looks to bookend with Adam Shuler to give the Mountaineers stout defenders at the end position. Reese has the size and ability to hold up against tight ends and tackles while forcing the running back to go wider than intended. Reese will likely split playing time but should see all of the starts and a bulk of the playing time at defensive end.
Dream Season
Donahue comes out as a force early, picking up sacks and stuffing the run. A year in the system has given Donahue so much confidence it rubs off early on the rest of the line. Donahue has a field day against Delaware State, recording three sacks and carries that over to ECU. Against Kansas State, Donahue completely shuts down Jesse Ertz, denying him room to run and forcing him to scramble early and often.
Up Next
The 2017 Mountaineer profile series will continue to feature defensive players throughout the week.