Pullman is different right now. If you haven't been following the chaos of the last year, you’ve missed a total overhaul that feels more like a controlled demolition and a hurried rebuild than a standard off-season. Everyone wants to talk about the "Pac-2" or the "dead" conference, but if you look at Washington State Cougars recruiting, you’ll see a program that is aggressively ignoring the funeral invitations.
Let's be real: losing a head coach like Jake Dickert to Wake Forest in late 2025 was a gut punch. It’s the kind of thing that usually sends a mid-tier program into a decade-long tailspin. When Dickert left, the floodgates opened. We saw 46 players hit the transfer portal. Forty-six. That’s not just a roster transition; that's an entire depth chart vanishing into thin air. Stars like John Mateer and Wayshawn Parker didn't just leave; they left for the "Power 4" giants, leaving new head coach Jimmy Rogers with a locker room that had a lot of empty hooks.
But here is the thing. Rogers isn't trying to win the 247Sports rankings battle in year one. He’s trying to find "Cougar-sized" chips for the shoulders of his players.
The Rogers Revolution: From SDSU to the Palouse
Jimmy Rogers didn't come here to play nice with the old "Air Raid" ghosts that still haunt Martin Stadium. He brought a specific, gritty blueprint from South Dakota State. You can see it in the 2025 and 2026 recruiting classes. The focus has shifted. The days of four-wide, pass-every-down football are being swapped for something much more physical.
Honestly, the "New Pac-12" (which now includes Boise State, San Diego State, and others) is going to be a line-of-scrimmage league. Rogers knows this. That’s why his first real moves involved bringing in tight ends. Lots of them. He’s moving away from the "basketball on grass" vibe and toward a power-run game that can travel to places like Boise or Laramie in November.
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Who are the new faces?
- Lance McGee (RB): This was a massive win. Flipping a three-star stud from Sumner High away from Oregon State on January 11, 2026, sent a message. McGee is the No. 7 recruit in the state of Washington. Keeping that kind of talent in-state when the "big brothers" are calling is vital.
- Zevi Eckhaus (QB): While technically a returner from the portal, his commitment to stay and lead this new era is basically a recruiting win. He’s the bridge between the old chaos and the new system.
- The "Big Guys": Look at the 2026 commits like Cooper Daines (6'5" IOL from Spokane) and Benjamin Makelela (6'7" OT from California). Rogers is recruiting size that looks more like a Big Ten roster than a Mountain West one.
What the National Experts are Missing
If you look at the national rankings, Washington State sits somewhere around 66th or 70th. On paper, that looks like a step back. But context is everything. Washington State is currently out-recruiting almost everyone in the "New Pac" except for maybe Boise State.
Basically, the Cougars are positioned to be a "big fish" in a slightly smaller pond. In the old Pac-12, a three-star recruit was a "depth piece." In the new Pac-12, a high-end three-star like Amiri Barnes or Savion Barthelemy is a Sunday-level talent.
People think the lack of a "Power 4" label is killing Wazzu's recruiting. It’s actually doing the opposite for a specific type of player. Rogers is selling immediate playing time and the chance to be the face of a rebuild. For a guy like Nathaniel Salmon, a 6'7" tight end from New Zealand who committed in early 2026, the Palouse offers a path to the NFL that doesn't involve sitting on a bench at Georgia for three years.
The Transfer Portal vs. High School Recruiting
You've gotta understand that the 2026 class is a mix of desperation and calculation. Rogers is lean on linebackers right now. After losing four top starters to graduation and the portal, the staff had to go heavy on transfers like Nylan Brown from Kent State.
However, the long-term health of Washington State Cougars recruiting depends on the high school flips. The commitment of Jshawn Frausto-Ramos (CB from Arizona) and Daniel Blood (WR from Missouri) shows that Wazzu can still pull kids from Power 4 territories. They aren't just taking leftovers; they're taking guys who want to play now.
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The "Pac-2" Reality Check
The elephant in the room is the Big 12. Every recruit being talked to right now is likely hearing a pitch about "when" Wazzu moves to a bigger conference, not "if." While the Pac-12 is rebuilding with Mountain West schools, the ultimate goal remains a seat at the Power 4 table. That uncertainty is a double-edged sword. It scares off some four-star talent, but it attracts the grinders who want to prove the "blue bloods" wrong.
Breaking Down the 2026 Commit List
| Player | Position | Hometown | Key Trait |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lance McGee | RB | Sumner, WA | Explosive speed, in-state flip |
| Cooper Daines | IOL | Spokane, WA | Massive frame, local loyalty |
| Nathaniel Salmon | TE | New Zealand | 6'7" frame, raw athleticism |
| Bryce Heckard | CB | Las Vegas, NV | Ballhawk, high-IQ defender |
| Tremayne Hill | RB | Katy, TX | Power runner, classic Rogers recruit |
Why "Wait and See" is a Bad Strategy
A lot of fans are waiting for the "big name" to sign before they get excited. Honestly, you’re looking for the wrong thing. Washington State's success has always been built on finding the Gabe Marks or Luke Falk types—guys the big schools missed.
Jimmy Rogers is leaning into that identity. He’s not looking for the most "stars"; he’s looking for the guys who won't quit when it’s 20 degrees in Pullman and the wind is ripping across the wheat fields. The 2026 class is shaping up to be one of the biggest in terms of sheer numbers (already 27+ commits), which tells you they are building depth that was stripped away during the Dickert exit.
Actionable Insights for the Cougar Faithful
If you want to keep a pulse on where this program is heading, stop looking at the 247Sports national rank and start looking at in-state retention.
- Watch the O-Line commits: If Rogers can keep landing 6'5"+ guys from the Northwest, the "SDSU-style" power run game will actually work.
- Monitor the "Pac-12" rankings: WSU needs to stay in the top two of their own conference to maintain the image of a "Power" program in waiting.
- Check the early enrollees: With twelve kids arriving in January 2026, the spring game will be the first real look at whether this "rebuild" is ahead of schedule.
The Cougars aren't dead. They’re just different. The recruiting trail is showing us a team that is bigger, slower, and much more physical than the one we saw three years ago. It might not be "Air Raid" flashy, but it’s exactly what Wazzu needs to survive and eventually thrive in this new landscape.
Keep an eye on the late signing period in February. If Rogers can snag one more defensive anchor, this 2026 class might just be the one that stabilizes the program for the next decade.
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For the most up-to-date commitment news, you should follow the local beats like the Spokesman-Review or the Daily Evergreen, as the national outlets often miss the nuanced "flips" that are defining this era.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Check the official WSU Athletics signing day portal for the full list of 28 early signees.
- Look for updates on the spring practice schedule to see the twelve early enrollees in action.
- Monitor the transfer portal for any late-addition defensive linemen, which remains the team's thinnest position group.