Photo by: WVU Athletic Communications
Newcomer Neider Excited About His Opportunity At WVU
April 22, 2026 01:25 PM | Football
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – For quarterback-turned-wide receiver John Neider, he's either a wide receiver who once played quarterback, or a quarterback who is now playing wide receiver.
"I think I'm both," he said following last Saturday's Gold-Blue Spring Festival that included a football game and a free country music concert.
Neider, pronounced NIGH-dur, was one of four players to catch a touchdown pass and one of five offensive players to cross the goal line during the hour-long scrimmage.
The Milford, Connecticut, resident, was one of 37 players added to the roster this year out of the transfer portal after spending two seasons as a walk-on wide receiver at Connecticut.
Prior to that, necessity required Neider to play quarterback at Jonathan Law High, where he passed for more than 2,000 yards and 30 touchdowns while adding more than 1,600 yards as a runner in earning 2023 Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year honors. He comes from a sports-minded family whose siblings include a brother who plays college football at Worcester State and a sister who played college volleyball at Central Connecticut.
Despite his prep success, Division I scholarship offers were nonexistent, so Neider chose to become a walk-on football player at Connecticut where Jim Mora was operating in the shadows of men's basketball coach Danny Hurley and women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma.
"Unique," is how Neider describes being a football player at a well-known basketball school.
Neider told Mora's coaching staff he desired to play wide receiver when he arrived there and spent a year in 2023 as a scout team performer. His performance going up against the first team defense each day prompted the defensive backs covering him to put in a good word to the offensive coaches, which led to him earning some playing time in 2024.
Last year, Neider saw action in all 13 games, starting five, and finished the season with 27 catches for 422 yards and two touchdowns. Then Mora, after four years at Connecticut, decided to take the Colorado State job, and that triggered Neider to explore his options in the transfer portal.
"There was a big coaching change going on at UConn, and in the world of college football today there is a lot of uncertainty, so I didn't want to roll the dice with somebody I didn't really know," he explained. "So, I put my name out there and West Virginia was one of the first schools to reach out to me. I took notice of that.
"They were very kind and compassionate to me, and I liked what they were offering so I came here," Neider added.
Neider opted to transfer to the same school former Connecticut teammate Carsten Casady chose as well, and it would seem apparent that the two exchanged notes and phone calls before making their momentous decisions.
Well, actually …
"I didn't even know he was on a visit here until I got here," Neider chuckled. "I walked into the cafeteria, and he was sitting down eating. I was like, 'What are you doing here?' He said the same thing to me, but when I committed, it was just nice knowing there was someone else here with me."
Now, instead of the American Athletic Conference, the two will be playing Big 12 Conference football. Neider says football is football.
"Some people say it's a different level, and there are levels to it, but I've been doubted my whole life even since I was younger, and I just continue to prove people wrong. I'm going to keep raising my game to every single level," he explained.
"I'm going to give them everything I've got," he added. "I'm going to leave it all out on the field, and I'm going to try get everybody around me better."
The fact that the WVU Athletics Communications staff brought Neider out for postgame interviews last Saturday bodes well for him. The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder is one 15 receivers in the program right now and most of his work is coming at the X position.
Wide receivers coach Ryan Garrett calls Neider a "high character guy" who is playing "with something to prove."
Through the years, those types of players have done well for themselves at West Virginia University, and particularly for Rich Rodriguez.
Neider said while at Connecticut he was required to play multiple positions, so he's comfortable moving around if that's needed here as well.
"Wherever they put me I'm going to learn that position and give them my best," he offered. "I thought I had a pretty good spring, and I want to keep developing. I want to keep pushing myself to be better."
As for playing in a demanding program such as Rodriguez's, Neider admits he's excited about the opportunity.
"It's a different environment and a different scene, but I like how he runs things and how he pushes us to become better every day," he explained.
"They didn't lie to me at all when they were recruiting me. Everything they said was true. They are going to push me to get the best out of me and they are doing that," the junior concluded.
If Neider can perform near the level David Sills IV - one of West Virginia's last quarterback-turned-wide receivers - once did here a decade ago, then Mountaineer fans are really in for something.
"I think I'm both," he said following last Saturday's Gold-Blue Spring Festival that included a football game and a free country music concert.
Neider, pronounced NIGH-dur, was one of four players to catch a touchdown pass and one of five offensive players to cross the goal line during the hour-long scrimmage.
The Milford, Connecticut, resident, was one of 37 players added to the roster this year out of the transfer portal after spending two seasons as a walk-on wide receiver at Connecticut.
Prior to that, necessity required Neider to play quarterback at Jonathan Law High, where he passed for more than 2,000 yards and 30 touchdowns while adding more than 1,600 yards as a runner in earning 2023 Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year honors. He comes from a sports-minded family whose siblings include a brother who plays college football at Worcester State and a sister who played college volleyball at Central Connecticut.
Despite his prep success, Division I scholarship offers were nonexistent, so Neider chose to become a walk-on football player at Connecticut where Jim Mora was operating in the shadows of men's basketball coach Danny Hurley and women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma.
"Unique," is how Neider describes being a football player at a well-known basketball school.
Neider told Mora's coaching staff he desired to play wide receiver when he arrived there and spent a year in 2023 as a scout team performer. His performance going up against the first team defense each day prompted the defensive backs covering him to put in a good word to the offensive coaches, which led to him earning some playing time in 2024.
Last year, Neider saw action in all 13 games, starting five, and finished the season with 27 catches for 422 yards and two touchdowns. Then Mora, after four years at Connecticut, decided to take the Colorado State job, and that triggered Neider to explore his options in the transfer portal.
"There was a big coaching change going on at UConn, and in the world of college football today there is a lot of uncertainty, so I didn't want to roll the dice with somebody I didn't really know," he explained. "So, I put my name out there and West Virginia was one of the first schools to reach out to me. I took notice of that.
"They were very kind and compassionate to me, and I liked what they were offering so I came here," Neider added.
Neider opted to transfer to the same school former Connecticut teammate Carsten Casady chose as well, and it would seem apparent that the two exchanged notes and phone calls before making their momentous decisions.
Well, actually …
"I didn't even know he was on a visit here until I got here," Neider chuckled. "I walked into the cafeteria, and he was sitting down eating. I was like, 'What are you doing here?' He said the same thing to me, but when I committed, it was just nice knowing there was someone else here with me."
Now, instead of the American Athletic Conference, the two will be playing Big 12 Conference football. Neider says football is football.
"Some people say it's a different level, and there are levels to it, but I've been doubted my whole life even since I was younger, and I just continue to prove people wrong. I'm going to keep raising my game to every single level," he explained.
"I'm going to give them everything I've got," he added. "I'm going to leave it all out on the field, and I'm going to try get everybody around me better."
The fact that the WVU Athletics Communications staff brought Neider out for postgame interviews last Saturday bodes well for him. The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder is one 15 receivers in the program right now and most of his work is coming at the X position.
Wide receivers coach Ryan Garrett calls Neider a "high character guy" who is playing "with something to prove."
Through the years, those types of players have done well for themselves at West Virginia University, and particularly for Rich Rodriguez.
Neider said while at Connecticut he was required to play multiple positions, so he's comfortable moving around if that's needed here as well.
"Wherever they put me I'm going to learn that position and give them my best," he offered. "I thought I had a pretty good spring, and I want to keep developing. I want to keep pushing myself to be better."
As for playing in a demanding program such as Rodriguez's, Neider admits he's excited about the opportunity.
"It's a different environment and a different scene, but I like how he runs things and how he pushes us to become better every day," he explained.
"They didn't lie to me at all when they were recruiting me. Everything they said was true. They are going to push me to get the best out of me and they are doing that," the junior concluded.
If Neider can perform near the level David Sills IV - one of West Virginia's last quarterback-turned-wide receivers - once did here a decade ago, then Mountaineer fans are really in for something.
Players Mentioned
OL
/ Football
WR
/ FootballGold-Blue Spring Festival Fan Recap
Sunday, April 19
John Neider | April 18
Saturday, April 18
Coach Zac Alley | April 18
Saturday, April 18
Coach Rich Rodriguez | April 18
Saturday, April 18
