/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/57296541/usa_today_10361817.0.jpg)
A big day for Washington State Cougars defensive coordinator Alex Grinch and company as they land a big commit out of the Bay Area. D’Angelo McKenzie, a 6’, 180 pound, three-star safety, committed to Washington State over numerous offers, including ones from the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the UCLA Bruins.
Committed #jointhehunt pic.twitter.com/jTH9iqKxnn
— D'Angelo k. Mckenzie (@d_young_king) October 24, 2017
McKenzie’s long recruiting offer list also included the likes of the Arizona State Sun Devils, Utah Utes, Oregon State Beavers, and Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors. Brandon Huffman also rated McKenzie as the fifth best defensive back out west in the 2018 recruiting class, citing his ability to play at either corner or safety.
To say the least, this is a big get for the Cougs.
We’ve embedded his junior year highlight video below but, as you can tell, he’s extremely athletic and has a nose for the football. Make sure you stick around to about the 1:40 mark in the video and let me know who that hit reminds you of.
McKenzie’s athleticism is good enough that it probably wouldn’t be surprising to see him come in and compete right away for senior Robert Taylor’s spot in the secondary, especially with the meteoric improvement of Jalen Thompson this year.
The Cougars now have 19 known commitments in the 2018 class, which you can see below. For the most up-to-date list after today, visit our commits page.
WSU Football 2018 Recruiting Class
Letter Received? | Player | Expected Pos. | 247 Composite | Composite Value | Measurables (via 247) | Commit Date | City | State | CougCenter Profile | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Letter Received? | Player | Expected Pos. | 247 Composite | Composite Value | Measurables (via 247) | Commit Date | City | State | CougCenter Profile | Comments |
YES | Rodrick Fisher | WR | ✯✯✯✯ | 0.8947 | 6-2/193 | 5/10/17 | Spokane | WA | Link | Led state in 100-m (10.46) and 200-m (21.26) in 2017 |
YES | Cammon Cooper | QB | ✯✯✯✯ | 0.8917 | 6-4/202 | 5/29/17 | Lehi | UT | Link | First Elite 11 QB in more than a decade |
YES | Drue Jackson | WR | ✯✯✯ | 0.8763 | 6-1/186 | 10/27/17 | Sachse | TX | Link | Rated 4-star by Scout, Rivals |
YES | Max Borghi | RB | ✯✯✯ | 0.8731 | 5-10/195 | 6/29/17 | Arvada | CO | Link | Multipurpose back flipped from Colorado |
YES | Halid Djibril | S | ✯✯✯ | 0.8672 | 6-2/185 | 12/20/17 | Los Angeles | CA | Link | Picked WSU over USC and OSU. |
YES | D'Angelo McKenzie | DB | ✯✯✯ | 0.8614 | 6-0/180 | 10/24/17 | San Jose | CA | Link | Holds offers from Notre Dame, UCLA |
YES | Kassidy Woods | WR | ✯✯✯ | 0.8609 | 6-2/200 | 11/22/17 | Addison | TX | Link | No. 136 receiver nationally |
YES | Blake McDonald | OL | ✯✯✯ | 0.8601 | 6-4.5/295 | 2/3/18 | Danville | CA | Link | No. 31 OG in country via 247, orig UCLA commit |
YES | Cade Beresford | OL | ✯✯✯ | 0.8601 | 6-7/250 | 9/25/17 | Woodinville | WA | Link | Offers from UCLA, Nebraska |
YES | Brandon Gray | WR | ✯✯✯ | 0.8600 | 6-5/172 | 7/29/17 | Detroit | MI | Link | No. 3 receiver in Michigan |
YES | Brennan Jackson | DL | ✯✯✯ | 0.8519 | 6-4/225 | 7/13/17 | Temecula | CA | Link | Rated the No. 3 DE prospect in CA by Scout |
YES | RJ Stone | DL | ✯✯✯ | 0.8685 | 6-4/215 | 12/11/17 | San Jose | CA | Link | Picked WSU over Arizona State |
YES | Tyrese Ross | DB | ✯✯✯ | 0.8464 | 6-1/187 | 2/2/18 | Jacksonville | FL | Link | Flipped from Mississippi State |
YES | Kedron Williams | DB | ✯✯✯ | 0.8497 | 6-1/192 | 5/3/17 | Bellflower | CA | Link | Recruited by Roy Manning |
YES | Ahmir Crowder | DL | ✯✯✯ | 0.8485 | 6/3-280 | 10/16/17 | Los Angeles | CA | Link | Offers from Vandy and Purdue |
YES | Patrick Nunn | ATH | ✯✯✯ | 0.8477 | 6-3/206 | 8/20/17 | San Mateo | CA | Link | Could play WR or DB |
NO | Rocky Katoanga | LB | ✯✯✯ | 0.8366 | 6-2/205 | 2/6/18 | Oceanside | CA | Will grayshirt | |
YES | Myles Green-Richards | DB | ✯✯✯ | 0.8364 | 6-1/175 | 7/6/17 | Eugene | OR | Link | Clocked a 4.52 laser-timed 40 |
YES | Jonathan Lolohea | DL | ✯✯✯ | 0.8461 | 6-3/310 | 11/22/17 | Lahaina | HI | Link | Juco from Copiah-Lincoln CC in Mississippi |
YES | Kendrick Catis | LB | ✯✯✯ | 0.8394 | 6-1/228 | 12/20/17 | Deerfield Beach | FL | Link | No. 4 inisde linebacker in JUCO. |
YES | Syr Riley | OL | ✯✯✯ | 0.8315 | 6-3/323 | 10/2/17 | Palisades | CA | Link | Offers from Cal and Navy |
YES | Calvin Jackson Jr. | WR | ✯✯✯ | 0.8208 | 5-10/170 | 4/12/17 | Pompano Beach | FL | Link | Juco transfer |
YES | Jarrett Kingston | DL | ✯✯✯ | 0.8181 | 6-5/250 | 8/9/17 | Anderson | CA | Link | First team All CIF Northern Section as a DE |
NO | Gatlin Grisso | DB | ✯✯✯ | 0.8072 | 6-1/185 | 6/23/17 | Aubrey | TX | Link | Expected to grayshirt |
YES | Keenan Forbes | OL | ✯✯✯ | 0.8345 | 6-3/310 | 1/18/18 | Hollywood | FL | Link | Three to play three; rating is from H.S. eval |
YES | Misi Aiolupotea-Pei | DL | ✯✯✯ | 0.8000 | 6-3/250 | 2/4/18 | Riverside | CA | Link | Juco has only played football for 2 years |
YES | Gardner Minshew | QB | N/A | N/A | 6-2/216 | 3/20/18 | Brandon | MS | Link | Graduate transfer from East Carolina |
YES | Lamonte McDougle | DL | N/A | N/A | 5-11/295 | 5/16/18 | Deerfield Beach | FL | Link | Transfer from WVU will be eligible in 2019 |
YES | Chad Davis Jr. | DB | N/A | N/A | 6-2/200 | 5/18/18 | Daytona Beach | FL | Juco transfer |