No. 1 Player in America Brady Cook Commits to Mountaineers Over South Carolina, Louisville, and Tennessee Vols in Major Recruiting Coup
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — In a stunning and seismic move that has rocked the college football recruiting landscape, Brady Cook — the nation’s consensus No. 1 high school football player — has announced his commitment to West Virginia University. Choosing the Mountaineers over perennial SEC powerhouses South Carolina, Tennessee, and Louisville, Cook’s decision is being hailed as one of the most significant recruiting victories in WVU history.
The 6-foot-5, 215-pound quarterback out of Alpharetta, Georgia, made the announcement Friday morning in front of a packed gymnasium at his high school, clad in a navy blue WVU cap and a white-and-gold letterman jacket adorned with a flying “WV.” With cameras rolling and fans chanting his name, Cook calmly stated, “I want to build something where it hasn’t been built before. I’m taking my talents to Morgantown.”
Cook, a generational talent with a cannon for an arm and legs like a running back, threw for over 4,300 yards and 51 touchdowns in his senior season, adding another 1,200 yards and 17 TDs on the ground. A dual-threat nightmare for defenses, he’s drawn comparisons to a young Cam Newton — but with a quicker release and sharper pre-snap instincts.
WVU head coach Marcus Harrell, entering his third year at the helm, reportedly flew to Georgia six times in the last two months, including one unannounced trip just hours after a 28-24 win over Oklahoma State. His persistence paid off.
“This is bigger than a signing. This is a signal,” Harrell said in a press conference just hours after the announcement. “Brady isn’t just coming to play — he’s coming to change the game here. He believes in what we’re building, and we believe in him.”
Recruiting analysts were left scrambling. Most had pegged Tennessee or South Carolina as favorites for months, especially after Cook was spotted at Neyland Stadium during the Vols’ 42–21 win over Georgia. Louisville was in the mix too, thanks to its NIL collective reportedly offering a seven-figure package. But in the end, it wasn’t money — it was legacy.
“I could’ve followed the crowd,” Cook later told ESPN. “But I want to be remembered for doing something different. Winning a Big 12 title in Morgantown? That’s different. That’s legacy.”
Already, the ripple effects are being felt across recruiting boards. Four-star receiver DeShawn Briggs from Maryland tweeted a mountain emoji just 30 minutes after Cook’s commitment, and two top offensive linemen have scheduled visits to WVU next week.
Brady Cook’s decision doesn’t just shift the power dynamic in the Big 12 — it rewrites the expectations for West Virginia football. With Cook under center, the Mountaineers aren’t just hoping to compete.
They’re planning to conquer.
