MORGANTOWN, West Virginia— West Virginia has officially added JaCorey Thomas to its roster, giving the Mountaineers another experienced player in the secondary as they prepare for Oklahoma State. Thomas, a Georgia transfer, will wear No. 30 and is listed at nickel/sam—a role that could give the Mountaineers some valuable flexibility on defense.
Thomas brings plenty of experience. He played in all 14 games for Georgia last season, making eight starts and recording 45 tackles, a sack and a tackle for loss. He has lined up at different spots in the secondary, so defensive coordinator Zac Alley may be able to move him around as he learns the system.
The big question is how quickly Thomas can work his way into the rotation. He could see around 15 to 25 snaps per game early on, with that number growing as he gets more comfortable in the defense. His addition could also help ease the workload on Geimere Latimer, who has played a heavy number of snaps, while giving WVU more options at nickel/sam.
Thomas has missed West Virginia’s first three games, so the coaching staff will have to balance his experience with the time he needs to get into game shape and learn his assignments. It was still unclear whether he would play against Oklahoma State, but pregame warmups should give Mountaineer fans a better idea. If he is dressed and ready, WVU could get an important boost from a player who has already been tested against top competition.
