MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Wendell Smallwood looks better than Charles Sims, and Rushel Shell looks better than a year ago. But West Virginia’s presumed No. 3 running back, Donte Thomas-Williams, shows why presumptions are tricky.
Fullback Elijah Wellman has jumped Thomas-Williams on the depth chart, a surprising slippage for the four-star recruit out of Durham, N.C., who was among the Mountaineers’ top additions on national signing day in 2014.
“He hasn’t done enough in camp,” running backs coach JaJuan Seider said. “Does he have potential? Yes, but we all got potential until we unleash it.”
A powerful-looking runner at 6-foot-1, 225 pounds, Thomas-Williams showed quite a burst during April’s scrimmage at the Greenbrier Resort, popping a third-and-1 run for a 60-yard touchdown.