MORGANTOWN — West Virginia football has made its first major splash for the class of 2027, prying a regional talent away from some neighboring schools.

Four-star athlete Carter Bonner announced on 247Sports that he’s committed to the Mountaineers to play college football. He picked WVU over Maryland, Oregon State, Tennessee and Virginia Tech, and is the first consensus 4-star for WVU’s 2027 class.

The Mountaineers landed Bonner because they kept in touch throughout the whole process.

“Coach Rich Rod, he’s a legend. The conversations we had, he talked about my versatility,” Bonner said on 247Sports. “He loved my versatility. Even just as a person, he’s a good guy. We talked a lot. Coach (Rod) West, as well, he’s a great guy. We talked a lot about my development and how I am off the field. Checks in with my grades and everything. That’s what I like about West Virginia.”

Bonner is listed as an athlete on recruiting sites, but he confirmed on the livestream that he’d be playing corner for the Mountaineers. He talked about how Rodriguez and WVU’s ability to use him in different ways played a factor in his decision. Rodriguez has talked at length about how he values versatile players more recently with the shrinking roster size.

As an athlete, Bonner is listed as the ninth-rated player in Maryland and 27th highest-ranked athlete in the class. He originally played at Penn Hills in Pennsylvania before moving to play at St. Frances Academy. This is the second year in a row that WVU has added a top athlete in the class, adding 4-star athlete Matt Sieg last season.

The St. Frances Academy athlete is listed at 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, according to 247Sports. He fits in with cornerback coach Rod West, and Rodriguez’s new strategy of adding more length to the perimeter, which greatly lacked in 2025. WVU has multiple corners over 6 feet heading into the 2026 season.

Bonner joins and now headlines a slowly growing list of recruits for WVU’s 2027 class. The Mountaineers are up to eight recruits and are heavily recruiting on the defensive side of the ball so far this spring. He’s the first primarily corner and defensive back for the class.

The recruiting season ramps up even more as official visits heat up, but WVU is off to a big start, landing Bonner. The Mountaineers 2027 class ranks 31st in the country and third in the Big 12 behind Texas Tech and Houston.

“I was looking for a school that could develop me,” Bonner said. “Has great culture… Great players, great coaching and intensity.”