The West Virginia Mountaineers football team has bolstered its offensive line with the addition of Mickel Clay, a transfer offensive tackle from North Alabama.
Standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing 278 pounds, Clay began his collegiate career at the junior college level before transferring to North Alabama, where he played in 29 games over three seasons. A native of Cincinnati, Clay saw action in nine games his first year, followed by eight games with three starts in his second. This past season, he was a full-time starter at right tackle, starting all 12 games.
Now a senior at West Virginia, Clay has one year of eligibility left and joins a growing list of offensive line transfers brought in by the Mountaineers. He becomes part of a revamped front that already includes Will Reed (Princeton), Walter Young Bear (Tulsa), Kimo Makane’ole (LSU), Robby Martin (NC State), Ty’kieast Crawford (Arkansas), and Wyatt Minor (Youngstown State).
Clay brings valuable experience to a unit in transition. Last season, he played 792 snaps and received a solid 77.0 overall grade from Pro Football Focus. He earned marks of 74.0 in run blocking and 73.0 in pass protection, allowing only three sacks and 14 hurries, with an impressive pass blocking efficiency rating of 98.0. Across his career, he’s logged 1,138 snaps and holds a 97.8 pass block efficiency rating.
With an offensive line still taking shape after spring practices, Clay is expected to compete right away for a starting role at tackle. His background and ties to the region could help ease his transition into the program.
West Virginia was expected to continue addressing the offensive line during this phase of the transfer portal. While adding Clay is a step forward, the coaching staff is likely to keep searching for additional veteran talent on both the interior and the edges to build depth and competition.
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