:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/48567943/usa-today-9017314.0.jpg)
Mike Leach and the Washington State Cougars staff are going to be very busy this weekend as a whopping 12 prospects and one potential transfer are making their way to the Palouse.
This group includes six players that are already committed to the program, as well as seven coveted prospects the Cougars are fighting for. As of now, WSU already has a full class, so it will be interesting to see how they fit some new recruits who may be committing this weekend.
| JANUARY 15-17 OFFICIAL VISITORS | ||||||
| Position | Name | Hometown | Ht/Wt | Rivals | Scout | Committed? |
| LB | Jihad Woods | La Mesa, Calif. | 5-11/215 | *** | *** | WSU |
| LB | Mason Vinyard | La Mesa, Calif. | 6-2/220 | *** | *** | WSU |
| WR | Renard Bell | Los Angeles, Calif. | 5-10/165 | *** | *** | WSU |
| OL | Jaelen Lewis | Antelope, Calif. | 6-6/270 | *** | *** | WSU |
| OL | Josh Watson | Everett, Wash. | 6-5/270 | *** | ** | WSU |
| RB | Romello Harris | Tulare, Calif. | 5-10/175 | *** | *** | WSU |
| DT | Wayne Kirby | Pocatello, Idaho | 6-3/306 | *** | *** | — |
| ATH | Zion Echols | Covina, Calif. | 5-8/169 | *** | *** | — |
| OL | Logan Tuley-Tillman | Michigan transfer | 6-7/300 | — | — | — |
| ATH | Tayler Hawkins | Palm Springs, Calif. | 6-0/180 | *** | *** | — |
| DE | Curtis Weaver | Long Beach, Calif. | 6-4/265 | *** | *** | — |
| LB | Jackson Kaufusi | Cottonwood, Utah | 6-2/189 | *** | *** | — |
| LB | Tainoa Foster | Honolulu, Hawaii | 6-3/205 | ** | ** | — |
COUGCENTER BIG BOARD: OFFENSE | DEFENSE
A couple more commits arrive from the state of California as Renard Bell, Jaelen Lewis, and Romello Harris make their official visits. Bell is a speedy receiver who fits in the slot, while Harris is the one running back WSU traditionally takes per recruiting class. Lewis is one of an excellent group of lineman that have committed to the Cougars this recruiting cycle. We have profiles on Bell, Lewis and Harris for your reading pleasure.
Jihad Woods and Mason Vinyard are linebacker commits out of the San Diego area. Woods fits as inside run-thumper and special teams dynamo, whereas Vinyard is more of the rangy "rush" type linebacker on the outside. You can read our profiles on the two here and here.
Last but definitely not least, there will be one in-state commit visiting this weekend, Everett's Josh Watson. The Seattle Times All-State lineman chose the Cougars over Boise State. Here is our profile on Watson.
Arguably the most important un-commited recruit coming into town is defensive lineman Wayne Kirby. The Cougars have not managed to snag a defensive tackle for this class, so getting Kirby's commitment would be huge. The three star recruit is down WSU, Utah and BYU.
Another huge get would be Michigan transfer Logan Tuley-Tillman. The former four star recruit would be eligible immediately and may be able to step in the starting lineup with the loss of Joe Dahl to graduation. The Cougars are battling Ole Miss, Houston, Louisville, Texas, Texas Tech and others for Tillman's services with former Michigan assistant Roy Manning running point.
A trio of SoCal three-star recruits are visiting as well as Tayler Hawkins, Curtis Weaver, and Zion Echols make their way to the Palouse. Hawkins is being recruited as an athlete, while Weaver plays defensive end, a position of need for the Cougars. Echols is a scatback in the Keith Harrington mode. The main competition for the three appears to be Colorado for Hawkins, Cal for Echols, and a slew of schools including Boise State and Wisconsin for Weaver.
Lastly, a couple of Joe Saleava targets are in town with linebackers Jackson Kaufusi and Tainoa Foster. It'll be interesting to see how they fit these guys in with all the 'backers they already have commits from, but the staff must be pretty high on these guys to bring them to town. Of note, Kaufusi, who also has offers from Utah and Cal, will take an LDS mission following graduation and will not sign a letter of intent. The main competition for Foster comes from Fresno State.
It looks like WSU's 9-4 season is really paying dividends with all these top west coast recruits descending on Pullman. Exciting times, indeed.