JUST IN: No. 1 Player in America Commits to WVU Mountaineers in Bombshell Decision Over Alabama and Georgia Under Coach Rich Rodriguez
In a move that’s being hailed as one of the most stunning recruiting coups in college football history, Jeremiah “Jet” Thompson, the consensus No. 1 player in the nation, has officially committed to the West Virginia Mountaineers, bypassing perennial juggernauts Alabama and Georgia. The decision was made public in a nationally televised commitment special, where Thompson unzipped his jacket to reveal a gold-and-blue WVU jersey emblazoned with the number 1, sending shockwaves through the recruiting world.
What makes this decision even more jaw-dropping is the mastermind behind it — Head Coach Rich Rodriguez, who returned to Morgantown just a year ago in a dramatic homecoming after more than a decade away from the program. Many questioned whether Rodriguez could revive the Mountaineers to their former national prominence. After today, there’s little doubt left.
“Coach Rod’s vision wasn’t just about football,” said Thompson, the 6’5” rocket-armed, dual-threat quarterback out of DeSoto High School in Texas. “He showed me how I could become a legend in a place that’s hungry to rise again. I could’ve followed the crowd. Instead, I chose to build something.”
Thompson’s high school stats read like video game numbers — 5,012 passing yards, 51 passing touchdowns, and only 2 interceptions, combined with 1,220 rushing yards and 18 rushing scores during his senior campaign. Dubbed “Jet” for his breakaway speed and cannon arm, he is widely considered the most complete QB prospect since Trevor Lawrence, if not earlier.
Behind closed doors, Thompson had been heavily courted by Nick Saban’s Alabama and Kirby Smart’s Georgia. Sources say Alabama’s NIL package was north of $2.5 million, and Georgia promised immediate starter status with high-profile national endorsements. But it was Rodriguez who got the last word.
“He flew to Dallas the night before the commitment,” said a family source. “They walked around the high school field under the lights, just talking — no sales pitch. Just football, legacy, and life.”
Coach Rodriguez, a native West Virginian, had already begun stockpiling an elite 2025 class, but this commitment puts WVU on the national map in a way few expected this soon. Recruiting analysts are recalibrating expectations, with some already projecting West Virginia to crack the Top 10 in recruiting rankings and potentially even make an early CFP push in the coming seasons.
Social media exploded within minutes of the announcement. “Mountaineer Nation just became a threat,” tweeted former NFL QB Pat White. Even WVU legend Steve Slaton posted: “We built the fire. Jet just lit the fuse.”
Rodriguez, speaking after the ceremony, was visibly emotional. “This is a new chapter. We’re not chasing anybody anymore — they’re going to be chasing us.”
The message is clear: West Virginia football isn’t rebuilding. It’s reborn.
