The 2024 early signing period for football begins today and WVU is expected to sign around 20 prospects. This story will be updated throughout the morning and afternoon as WVU officially announces its signings.

7:10 a.m.

Makai Byerson, DL, 6-4, 270, Richmond, Va./Manchester HS

Four-year starter at defensive end and tight end for coach Tom Hall at Manchester High … three-time All-State First Team … three-time All-Region 6A First Team … three-time All-Richmond Metro First Team … 2022 County Player of the Year … helped lead Manchester to an 11-2 record, a 9-0 mark in the Dominion Football Conference and the Class 6 region finals … registered more than 400 tackles and 37 quarterback sacks over his career … finished with 105 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, seven sacks, seven pass breakups, 46 hurries and had two interceptions that he returned for touchdowns … as a junior, helped lead Manchester to an 11-2 record, a 9-0 mark and first-place finish in the Dominion Football Conference and the Class 6 region finals … registered 121 tackles, including 10 tackles for loss and five sacks … four-year starter in basketball where he received regional, metro and all-state honors … three-star prospect according to ESPN, 247Sports, On3 and Rivals … ESPN tabs him as the No. 92 edge rusher nationally and the No. 21 player in Virginia … 247Sports put him in at the No. 55 edge rusher nationally and the No. 16 player in Virginia … On3 lists him as the No. 72 edge rusher nationally and the No. 18 player in Virginia … Rivals ranks him as the No. 55 edge rusher nationally and the No. 14 player in Virginia … recruited by WVU coach Andrew Jackson … also had offers from Duke, Kentucky, Rutgers, Tennessee, Virginia and Virginia Tech.

7:32 a.m.

Kyle Altuner, OL, 6-3, 290, Olney, Md./Good Counsel HS

Four-year starter for coach Andy Stefanelli at Our Lady of Good Counsel High … three-time Max Preps All-American … Under Armour All-American … three-time All-Washington Catholic Athletic Conference First Team honoree … two-time Washington Post All-Metro Area First-Team honoree … led Good Counsel to a 10-1 record and the conference championship as a senior in 2023 … finished with a 95% grade for the season, including having 100% in two games … did not allow a sack for the year and only three pressures … Good Counsel finished 8-3 in 2022 and advanced to the semifinals of the conference championship … three-star prospect according  to ESPN, 247Sports, On3 and Rivals … ESPN lists him as the No. 23 inside offensive lineman nationally and No. 15 player in Maryland … 247Sports puts him in at the No. 58 inside offensive lineman nationally and No. 24 player in Maryland … On3 ranks him as the No. 126 inside offensive lineman nationally and No. 40 player in Maryland … Rivals has him as No. 29 offensive guard nationally and No. 26 player in Maryland … recruited by WVU coaches ShaDon Brown and Matt Moore … also was offered by Boston College, Cincinnati, Florida State, Louisville, Maryland, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, NC State, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Penn State, Pitt, Rutgers, Tennessee and Virginia.

7:44 a.m.

Curtis Jones Jr., LB, 6-2, 210, Huntington, W.Va./Cabell Midland HS

Played outside linebacker and running back for coach Luke Salmons at Cabell Midland High … two-time all-state running back, earning Class AAA first team honors as a senior and second team as a junior … two-time All-Mountain State Athletic Conference First-Team honors … team captain … as a senior, finished with 1,762 yards and 27 touchdowns … also added four receiving touchdowns … had three quarterback sacks … helped lead Cabell Midland to a 10-2 record, 7-1 mark in the region, the state quarterfinal round and finished No. 5 in the state … as a junior, he ran for 1,584 yards and 19 touchdowns … as a sophomore, played at Huntington High and helped the Highlanders reach the 2021 Class AAA state championship game … also ran track and posted an 11.89 in the 100-meter dash as part of a 4×100 team that placed fifth at states … posted a 4.0 GPA … three-star prospect according to 247Sports, On3, Rivals and ESPN … 247Sports ranks him as the No. 103 linebacker and the No. 3 player in the state of West Virginia … On3 lists him as the No. 134 linebacker and the No. 4 player in the state of West Virginia … ESPN evaluates him as the No. 99 linebacker and the No. 4 player in the state of West Virginia … recruited by WVU coach Jeff Koonz … father was a wide receiver at Marshall from 1999-02.

7:59 a.m.

Keyshawn Robinson, ATH, 6-0, 175, Ranson, W.Va./Jefferson HS

Three-year starter for coach Craig Hunter at Jefferson High … two-time West Virginia Class AAA All-State Defensive Back honors, including first team as a senior … two-time All-Eastern Panhandle Athletic Conference honoree … helped Jefferson High to three straight Class AAA state playoffs appearances and an 18-6 record as a junior and senior, including  27 wins over his career … played wide receiver, defensive back and returned kicks and punts … tallied 42 catches for 635 yards and six touchdowns as a senior … had 32 carries for 164 yards and six touchdowns … finished four receptions for 117 yards and two touchdowns against Clarksburg (Md.) and three catches for 141 yards and two touchdowns against Washington … recorded 452 yards receiving and four touchdowns as a junior … registered five kickoff returns for 158 yards and a touchdown … had 31 receptions for 560 yards and six scores as a sophomore … career totals also include more than 500 return yards and more than 50 tackles … career-long reception went for 70 yards … all-state performer in football and track … outstanding track athlete with state AAA championships to his credit in the 4×100 and 4×200 meter relay … in 2023, swept the three sprint races and was on the victorious 4×200 meter relay … ran 10.71 in the 100, 21.52 in the 200 and 48.26 in the 400 … also tallied second-place finishes in the 100 and 200 meter state track championship as a junior … three-star ranking by ESPN, 247Sports, On3 and Rivals … all four recruiting outlets rank him as the No. 2 recruit in the state … 247Sports ranks him as the No. 124 wide receiver prospect nationally, ESPN No. 109 at his position nationally and On3 at No. 145 … recruited by WVU coaches Bilal Marshall and Blaine Stewart.   

8:15 a.m.

Nate Gabriel, DL, 6-4, 295, Auburndale, Fla./Auburndale HS

Played defensive line for coach Kyle Sassler at Auburndale High … former teammate of Mountaineer Aubrey Burks … helped lead Auburndale to a 7-4 record, going 3-1 in conference play and advancing to the state playoffs … finished his career with 160 total tackles, 58 tackles for loss, five fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles and 12 sacks … as a senior, he played in all 11 games, collecting 74 tackles, four sacks, 26 tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries and two blocked punts … during his junior season, he tallied 58 tackles, 26 tackles for loss and seven sacks in 10 games … named 2023 Polk County (FL) Co-Wrestler of the Year … won the state title as a junior, finishing with a 35-4 record … placed sixth in the state at the 2A heavyweight level as a sophomore … also threw the discus, advancing to nationals … ranked a three-star prospect according to ESPN, 247Sports, On3 and Rivals … ESPN tabs him as the No. 81 defensive lineman nationally and the No. 187 player in Florida … 247Sports lists him as the No. 138 defensive lineman nationally and the No. 162 player in Florida … On3 ranks him as the No. 139 defensive lineman nationally and the No. 168 player in Florida … recruited by WVU coaches Chad Scott and Andrew Jackson … also offered by Illinois, Kansas State and UCF.

8:30 a.m.

Jason Cross Jr., DB, 6-1, 171, Pittsburgh, Pa./Bishop Canevin HS

Three-year starter at defensive back for Coach Richard Johnson at Bishop Canevin High … started at wide receiver as a senior and at quarterback as a sophomore and junior … three-time All-Conference safety … earned all-conference at wide receiver … two-time conference defensive most valuable player … 2023 Pennsylvania All-Star Football Team selected by SBLive … 2022 Pennsylvania Writers’ Class A All-State Second Team … multi-talented athlete who can play defense and offense … finished with more than 2,000 yards passing and more than 1,000 yards receiving during his career, only player in school history to accomplish that … three-time team captain … conference athlete of the year as a sophomore … led the Crusaders to three-straight WPIAL playoff appearances, including the 2021 title … helped team to a 10-2 mark as a senior with a 6-1 conference record … played quarterback, safety, and receiver in high school, recording statistics at all three positions  … in 2023, recorded 41 solo tackles and 18 assisted … turned in 11 tackles for loss to go along with 528 yards receiving and 11 touchdowns … averaged 60.0 yards receiving per game … as a junior, he passed for 1,277 yards and 18 touchdowns, completing 60% of his passes … rushed for 299 yards and nine scores … collected 174 yards receiving and two touchdowns … defensively, as a junior, his numbers included 59 tackles, six interceptions and one forced fumble … three-star ranking from ESPN, 247Sports, On3 and Rivals … ESPN lists him at No. 34 overall in the state, while On3 ranks him the No. 68 best safety in the country and No. 17 recruit in the state … 247Sports ranks him No. 53 nationally at safety and the No. 8 overall recruit in Pennsylvania … Rivals lists him the No. 25 overall prospect in the state … recruited by WVU coach Dontae Wright … received more than 20 offers from the likes of Boston College, Iowa State, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan State, Penn State, Syracuse, Temple, Texas A&M and Virginia Tech.  

8:47 a.m.

Keyon Washington, DB, 6-1, 175, Waldorf, Md./Saint Charles HS

Played cornerback and wide receiver and returned kicks/punts for coach Patrick Orndoff at Saint Charles High … 2022 Maryland Public Schools Athletic Association All-State Honorable Mention … named All-Southern Maryland Athletic Conference First Team on offense, defense and special teams his senior year … named All-Maryland Athletic Conference First Team as a defensive back his junior year … helped lead St. Charles to a 9-4 record and the state semifinals … finished with five interceptions, returning one for a touchdown … had 11 plays of 40 or more yards, caught five touchdowns, returned a kickoff for a score and made four 40-yard plays on kick and punt returns … rated a three-star prospect according to ESPN, 247Sports and Rivals … ESPN tabbed him as the No. 100 cornerback nationally and the No. 31 player in Maryland … 247Sports ranks him as the No. 74 cornerback nationally and the No. 28 player in Maryland … recruited by WVU coach ShaDon Brown … also offered by Boston College and Pitt.

9:08 a.m.

Justin Terry, OL, 6-6, 330, Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington Central HS

Played offensive line for coach Jeff Lomonico at Pickerington Central High… earned All-Ohio Division I All-State Honorable-Mention honors … earned All-District honors and was named All-Capital Ohio Conference Buckeye Division First-Team performer … anchored the offensive line on a team that finished 8-4 as a senior, including a 5-0 mark in the Ohio Capital Conference and advanced to the second round of the state playoffs … did not allow a sack his senior season … finished with 26 pancake blocks … offensive line paved the way for Pickerington Central’s offense to average 200.0 yards rushing per game … led the Tigers to the Ohio Capital Conference championship for four straight years … named scholar-athlete … helped lead Pickerington Central to a 9-4 record, including a 5-0 record in the Ohio Capital Conference and advanced to the final four of the state playoffs … rated a three-star prospect according to ESPN, 247Sports and On3 … ranked No. 131 offensive tackle nationally and the No. 59 player in Ohio by ESPN … 247Sports ranks him as the No. 158 offensive tackle nationally and the No. 88 player in Ohio … On3 lists him as the No. 58 offensive tackle nationally and the No. 37 player in Ohio … Rivals lists him as a two-star prospect … recruited by WVU coach Matt Moore and Jeff Koonz.

9:22 a.m.

Jack Sammarco, TE, 6-6, 240, Cincinnati, Ohio/Anderson HS

Played tight end for coach Evan Dreyer at Anderson High … earned 2023 All-State First-Team honors … named All-Eastern Cincinnati Conference First-Team and All-District First-Team as a senior … tallied 315 yards on 27 catches and found the end zone five times during his final high school season … also had a long catch of 44 yards in 2023 … had 32 tackles, including 15 solo stops, eight sacks, a forced fumble and two pass breakups … season-high four catches for 47 yards and two touchdowns against Walnut Hills … also had four catches for 20 yards against Winton Woods … as a junior, he posted 136 yards on 14 receptions, along with two touchdowns … rated a three-star prospect according to 247Sports, On3, ESPN and Rivals … 247Sports has him as the No. 90 tight end and No. 62 player in the state of Ohio … On3 tabs him as the No. 96 tight end and the No. 77 player in the state of Ohio … ESPN ranks him as the No. 32 tight end and the No. 58 player in the state of Ohio … Rivals puts him in as the No. 32 player in the state of Ohio … recruited by WVU coaches Blaine Stewart and Jordan Lesley.

9:33 a.m.

Christopher Henry, DB, 6-0, 190, Dunnellon, Fla./Dunnellon HS

Played multiple positions for coach Tommy Sutton at Dunnellon High … named 2023 Florida Atlantic Coaches Association District 7 Player of the Year … 2023 FACA District 7 All-Senior Team as a running back … 2023 FACA All-District 7 Team as a free safety … 2022 and 2023 Dunnellon football team captain … 2022 Marion County First-Team defensive back … 2022 Dunnellon team MVP … as a senior, he finished with 47 carries for 598 rushing yards and seven touchdowns … also had six catches for 79 yards … on special teams, returned a kickoff for a touchdown … finished with 56 tackles … also added one fumble recovery that he returned for a touchdown, two interceptions, one tackle for loss and a pass breakup … finished with his best defensive game against Vanguard, when he recorded seven tackles, including five solo, and had a scoop-and-score … had his best offensive game against Belleview, where he had six carries for 178 yards and two touchdowns … in his junior season, finished with 11 carries for 96 rushing yards and one touchdown … also had 24 catches for 271 yards and two touchdowns … finished with 45 total tackles, two interceptions – including a pick-six, two tackles for loss and one pass breakup … three-star prospect according to ESPN, 247Sports, On3 and Rivals … ESPN puts him in as the No. 123 safety nationally and No. 189 player in Florida … 247Sports tabs him as the No. 154 safety nationally and the No. 206 player in Florida … On3 ranks him as the No. 117 safety overall and the No. 178 player in Florida … recruited by WVU coach ShaDon Brown … also held offers from Kansas, NC State and Oregon State.