Marshall Football: W.V. Natives Join Recruiting Class as Preferred Walk-Ons

While West Virginia is not considered a hot bed of football recruiting, the Mountain State has been good to Marshall. In recent years West Virginia natives Aaron Dobson, Clinton Van Horn, Blake Brooks, and Raheem Waiters have made a big impact for the Thundering Herd.

On national signing day a number of local prospects made a commitment to Marshall as preferred walk-ons. Preferred walk-ons are guaranteed a roster spot but are not on scholarship. 

One of those West Virginia natives is already on campus. Although he comes to Marshall from Virginia's Fork Union Military Academy, Matthew Santer played high school football in Parkersburg W.V. Santer enrolled at Fork Union last August hoping to raise his recruiting profile. The prep school semester helped as Santer caught the eye of Marshall's coaches. He will join the Herds safeties when spring practice begins.

Beckley's Woodrow Wilson High School should be familiar to Thundering Herd fans. Doug Legursky and Van Horn are just two of many former Flying Eagles to play collegiality at Marshall. Chase Hancock hopes to continue that legacy after accepting a preferred walk-on spot with the Herd. As a senior Hancock caught 35 passes for 490 yards and five touchdowns. He also recorded 564 rushing yards on 98 carries and eight touchdowns. 

A member of West Virginia's Class AA all first team, defensive lineman Austin Hill will join the Thundering Herd as a preferred walk-on this fall. Hill had a number of scholarship offers from division II schools, but the 6-foot-2, 280 pound lineman always dreamed of playing big time college football.  

Rounding out the list is athlete Isaiah Brown. One of the fastest football players in West Virginia, Brown accumulated 1,287 yards of total offense during his senior year at Summers County High School. He will test his speed against C-USA competition this fall as a preferred walk-on at Marshall.