By: Clark Johnson| WV Sports Chat
Morgantown, WV – The 2026 NFL Draft is now over. As expected, zero prospects from WVU football were selected through the event’s seven rounds. Fans are now eagerly awaiting where former Mountaineers will land as undrafted free agents.
According to the official WVU Football account, two Mountaineer defenders have landed with the Cleveland Browns of the AFC North. Defensive back Michael Coats Jr. and linebacker Reid Carrico will head to Cleveland for their first opportunity in the NFL.
Coats Jr., a Nevada transfer, spent his final season of eligibility in Morgantown. He was a prominent contributor to the secondary, tallying 30 tackles and 7 pass deflections.
Carrico, an Ohio State transfer, spent two seasons with the Mountaineers. Quickly becoming a leader on the defensive side of the ball, the Ohio native totaled 123 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, and 1 fumble recovery across 24 games.
Coats Jr. was signed by the Browns as an undrafted free agent while Carrico received an invite to rookie mini-camp.
(Photo by WVU Athletics)
