Richard “Wink” James was the first commit for West Virginia’s class of 2024. Despite the early decision, as James is only halfway through his high school career, he knew WVU was the place he wanted to call home.
“It’s exciting to know that I’m the first,” James said. “I committed really early because I knew it was the right choice.”
James is a three-star defensive tackle from Philadelphia, where he has played alongside class of 2023 commits Josiah Trotter and James Heard. The trio took an unofficial visit to WVU before their commitments, where James said they knew it was “the place to be.”
When looking at the class ahead of him, James thinks his own class is going to bring the same talent, if not more, to the program.
“We’re going to be a lot better than the class of 2023,” James said. “In that class ahead of mine, Josiah (Trotter) did a really good job of recruiting other kids, and I’m going to do the exact same thing he did and pull as many kids as possible.”
James also mentioned that his unofficial visits helped him make his decision, describing the atmosphere in Morgantown as “friendly and supportive.”
“It was fun,” said James, regarding his first visit. “We were sitting in the head coach’s office, and everything just seemed right.”
With offers from several Power 5 schools including Penn State and Texas A&M, James felt as though his talents were best suited for West Virginia, where he says the defense fits his playing style “perfectly.”
James is extremely confident in his playing style, and WVU’s coaching staff has also expressed their confidence in James’ abilities on the defensive side of the ball.
“I do believe in my talent, and a lot of coaches believe in my talent, so I feel like I’m going to bring a lot to West Virginia,” said James.
An indication of the level of James’ talent is the comparison made by coaches to a former WVU star lineman.
“When I was up there, they were comparing me a lot to Darius Stills,” James said. “We have the exact same play style, the hyperactive three-tech on the undersized side. I feel like I’m definitely bringing that to the table.”
James describes himself as a “lead by example” type of player, as he puts in a lot of work, especially in the weight room. His strength is something he believes will set him apart within his recruiting class.
“I’m very strong, I lift a lot. I bring strength, speed and power,” said James. “I have a great get-off, and I have great hands for a defensive lineman.”
With his talent, in addition to the talent in Morgantown before his arrival, James knows the future of the program is bright. He says with the changes to the Big 12 conference, he believes that WVU is going to be “really good” in the next few years.
Although James has two more years until playing as a Mountaineer, he is eager to get to Morgantown and start the next chapter of his football career.
“I’m looking forward to playing in the stadium with all of the fans,” James said. “I feel as though I can start a new life going to West Virginia.”
The fans are certainly excited for James’ arrival, too, as they have expressed excitement for the first commit of the 2024 class.
For the fans, James has a message: “These next few years, West Virginia football is going to be really fun to watch.”
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