West Virginia offensive tackle Yodny Cajuste has played his last downs as a Mountaineer. That is because Cajuste has stated he will pass on playing in West Virginia’s bowl game this season so he can begin focusing on the NFL draft process. Cajuste announced his decision with a message on Twitter.
Cajuste is coming off a year that saw him named All-Big 12 First Team as a lineman for one of the top offenses in the country at West Virginia. Cajuste choosing to not play in the bowl game is not the least bit expected given his potential draft stock and being a senior. This is, after all, the growing trend in college football during the bowl season, and now West Virginia awaits to learn if quarterback Will Grier will make a similar decision or choose to play in the bowl game.
As noted by Smoking Musket, decisions from wide receivers David Sills V and Gary Jennings are also looming in Morgantown. Sills did previously state he had a desire to play in the bowl game, although it remains to be seen if that will still be the case with West Virginia missing out on a Naw Years Six bowl game.
West Virginia is scheduled to play Syracuse in the Camping World Bowl in Orlando, Florida on Dec. 28. The old Big East rivals will play in a Big 12 vs. ACC matchup. It will be the second time the two schools have faced each other since West Virginia left the Big East for the Big 12, but the first since Syracuse left the Big East for the ACC. Syracuse beat West Virginia in the 2012 Pinstripe Bowl, 38-14.