The second of two, and final, transfer portal windows is now open to finalize fall rosters. West Virigina and Rich Rodriguez took full advantage of the winter window, where they added 31 players.

Over the past week following the end of spring practice, Rodriguez made roster cuts to create space to add more players and help to get to the maximum roster size of 105 by the fall. There are over 20 and counting Mountaineers who planned on entering the portal before it even officially opened.

Rodriguez has a lot of positions on his mind for this portal period. He probably won’t add 31 new players like in the last period, but Rodriguez will be active.

He listed every position of need except long snapper and quarterback a couple of weeks ago. Quarterback makes sense since there are seven on the roster and another is coming in the summer in the 2025 class. Will there be seven by the end of the portal? Probably not, but the quarterback is definitely not an area of need, unless athletic director Wren Baker and Rodriguez want to shell out the estimated $4 million to add Tennessee’s Nico Iamaleava, but that’s not happening.

“We need to get some O-line and D-linemen,” Rodriguez said. “We need to get some wideouts, a running back. Probably need to get some linebackers, a corner, a safety. Probably need a kicker, maybe, to compete with.”

Rodriguez’s laundry list of needs doesn’t mean he thinks his players are bad. He wants more depth.

“I’m unhappy with the depth,” Rodriguez said. “But I think every coach is probably unhappy with their depth at this point in the spring.”

It’s difficult to tell what areas Rodriguez will add in the portal, with him listing off pretty much every position. Other than the spring game, Rodriguez’s squad hasn’t been visible to the public eye to analyze what positions are needed.

After the spring game, West Virignia defensive coordinator Zac Alley said the pass rush needs work but didn’t discuss whether or not that’d be an area to add in the portal.

West Virginia returns one of its top 5 sack leaders for 2025. Defensive lineman Hammond Russell IV was third in sacks last year, and the closest returner is linebacker Asani Redwood, who was sixth.

Rodriguez added a premier pass rusher, Jimmori Robinson, from UTSA in the winter portal. He had 10.5 sacks in 2024, so that’ll provide a big boost.

There’s still a need for another wrecking ball on the edge, whether that’s a defensive lineman or a linebacker to help create some disruption.

On the offensive side of the ball, the wideouts didn’t seem like an issue during the spring game. It was more of an issue of the quarterbacks getting them the ball. There were a lot of departures in the receiver room for the portal, but there is still a lot of talent in the room.

It’s difficult to tell if there is a true No. 1 receiver, so adding another receiving threat could be an option.

The running back room could use another back. Last year’s leading rusher, Jahiem White, suited up for the spring game but didn’t participate. There were two departures in the running back room and none are expected in the 2025 recruiting class, leaving five on the roster.

One addition was veteran Tye Edwards from Northern Iowa, who rushed for over 1,000 yards, but with the uncertainties of White’s health, it could be smart to add some depth to a position that’s always banged up.

It’s hard to tell where Rodriguez will go in the portal, especially since the team he put together in the winter when he took the job hasn’t played an actual game yet. From what Rodriguez said during press conferences, he intends to add depth at positions he feels are slim or needs someone behind starters to give them an extra push.

“We gotta increase our competition at most of our positions,” Rodriguez said. “I hope it comes from a lot of guys within, but inevitably it’s going to come from, in a few spots, guys that aren’t here yet.”