2016 West Virginia Football Position Previews: Cornerbacks

The 2016 cornerbacks corps is led by transfer players and a career non-starter. There is definitely a lot left to be desired at the position but there is certainly a possibility of being pleasantly surprised.

Starters

The Mountaineers are led at cornerback by transfer Antonio Crawford, who transferred to West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia from the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. Crawford started three years at Miami where he played in all 38 games the Hurricanes scheduled from his Freshman to Junior years. His three years at Miami were highlighted by a career-high seven tackles (all solo) against the Pitt Panthers in 2013, a feat all Mountaineer fans can appreciate.

Crawford is certainly an impact player and his presence will likely be immediately felt. The biggest concern is his past was in the ACC and Big 12 Football can be a whole different beast. Some players succeed in one conference and then may not translate to another.

Rasul Douglas will start opposite Crawford. Douglas played in 11 games for the Mountaineers last season which was his first with West Virginia University after transferring from Nassau Community College.

Backups

The Mountaineers have their fair share of depth at the position.

Nana Kyeremeh will back up Crawford. Kyeremeh has played in 30 games in his career despite his one career start. A promising aspect to Nana is his performance in the Cactus Bowl against Arizona State where he made four tackles, including three solo stops. He seems to play better when given more opportunities to show what he's got. Beyond that, he has a love-hate relationship with injuries a he sat out the 2013 season with a shoulder injury.

Douglas will be backed up by yet another transfer, Maurice Flemming, who transferred to the Mountaineers from Iowa.

The Adams twins are also highly touted recruits coming out of neighboring Maryland. Jordan, a Redshirt Freshman, won a class 3A state title before redshirting at West Virginia. Jacquez, a true Freshman, went to a community college in New York while Jordan redshirted. Jacquez was a two-time Maryland Class 3A All-State performer. He also won a state title with Jordan.

Elijah Battle finishes out the cornerbacks as a JUCO transfer.

Conclusions

The position is filled with a lot of unknowns. Having the inexperience the Mountaineers have at the position when it comes to Big 12 ball is a bit concerning. Then again, the transfers have impressive records at their previous schools, whether it be at a JUCO or at another Division I program. It's safe to say the cornerbacks will certainly get better as the season progresses.