Consistency set West Virginia apart for 4-star LB Travious Lathan

Neal Brown and the West Virginia Mountaineers love to dip into Florida each recruiting cycle to pull talent up to Morgantown.

The Big 12 program signed four out of the Sunshine State in 2020. It landed three more in 2021 and after landing a commitment from 4-star linebacker Travious Lathan Saturday, it gives West Virginia three commitments out of Florida this cycle.

The 6-foot-2, 202-pound linebacker out of Miami Gulliver Prep has well over two dozen offers, but after taking official visits to Pittsburgh and West Virginia in June, it came down to the Panthers and Mountaineers.

Lathan’s official visit to Morgantown was the last one and he knew coming out of that visit that he had found his future home.

“I told the West Virginia coaches about my decision at the end of the visit,” Lathan said. “I was in coach Brown’s office and that is when I told him. It was toward the end of the visit, and as soon as I told him, he was so happy.

“He got excited and he welcomed me. They had been recruiting me hard for a while, so I know he was happy when I gave him the news.”

Consistency paid off for West Virginia

Other schools put a lot of time and effort into Lathan’s recruitment too, but none recruited him the way West Virginia did. That paid off for the Mountaineers in the end.

“The relationship I built with the staff was strong,” Lathan said. “On the visit, i saw the facilities and the campus, and those things did stand out, but the relationship was most important to me.”

Travis Trickett coaches wide receivers at West Virginia, so he will not coach Lathan on the next level, but Trickett recruits south Florida and the two developed a strong bond.

“He is the coach I am closest to,” he said. “I know other coaches at West Virginia, and everyone welcomed me when I was there, but coach Trickett is my guy.

“Through this whole process he made me feel important. We have been talking almost daily for a long time and he is a coach I trust. He made me feel wanted, he made me feel comfortable and he consistent he was with me made a difference.”

A weight off his shoulders

Lathan said all the right things about his commitment to West Virginia. He has been a silent commitment for almost two months and his feelings are strong about the Mountaineers.

Announcing this decision publicly is something he is proud of and a weight off his shoulders.

“It was a very tough decision, so it feels great to make it and let it out,” Lathan said. “I would say I feel so blessed right now, but that doesn’t even describe it. It means a lot to be able to commit to a school like West Virginia.

“I had 34 offers, so it was a lot to consider, but I know West Virginia is the right school for me. I am so thankful for the opportunity and blessed to be going to West Virginia.”

Scouting report

“We had a chance to see Lathan in action at The Opening Finals back in June,” National Recruiting Analyst Charles Powe said. “I thought he showed some encouraging coverage skills in the 7-on-7 setting.

“Lathan is smooth in space and has the ball skills and anticipation to jump routes for interceptions. His background as a wide receiver likely helps there – we always like to see linebackers who play both ways in high school for that reason.”