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WSU football recruiting: 2021 commits

Who’s planning on coming to Pullman? Here’s an up-to-date list of players who have committed to play for Nick Rolovich.

Washington State v Houston Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images

First-year Washington State Cougars coach Nick Rolovich has had a tall task in front of him: Assembling his first full class amid a global pandemic that has made on-campus visits impossible.

While the 2021 class got off to a slow start — not seeing its first pledge until the beginning of May — Rolovich and his staff have since stepped up in a huge way, filling the class with the kinds of players that made his predecessor so successful.

The current top consensus player in the class is junior college transfer CJ Moore, a former four-star receiver with the Oklahoma State Cowboys who should be expected to step in immediately on the outside — he’s got a silky-smooth glide when he runs that will remind fans of former WSU receiver Tavares Martin Jr.

Behind him is quarterback Xavier Ward, whose stock has been on the rise among evaluators since his commitment to WSU. Ward, from southern California, committed on the heels of a strong performance at a scouting camp. He’s young (just 16 heading into his senior season) and has raw tools for days that he’s still growing into.

Behind them is Jaden Hicks, a physical safety prospect from powerhouse Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas, and right behind him is wide receiver commit Tsion Nunnally (who holds an offer from the Washington Huskies).

One of the other top prospects is defensive lineman Xavier Young out of Tallahassee, Florida — he holds offers from Maryland and Virginia Tech. Also highlighting the class is defensive lineman Andrew Edson, who is the top in-state recruit in the class and a late riser out of Mt. Si High School, which advanced to the state 4A semifinal in 2019.

WSU also has added a trio of transfers to the class, each of whom has the ability to contribute immediately thanks to the NCAA’s relaxed transfer rules this year. They’re led by former Tennessee quarterback Jarrett Guarantano, a former 4-star recruit with plenty of SEC starts under his belt who should challenge incumbent Jayden de Laura for the starting spot this year. Joining him are linebacker Ben Wilson, a western Washington native who was a high-three-star recruit in high school and had been at TCU, and defensive back Chris Jackson, another high-three-star high schooler who had been at Michigan State.

There have been a few defections:

  • Cornerback Elisha Lloyd (✯✯✯/0.8552/flipped to Utah)
  • Linebacker Jayhvion Gipson (✯✯✯/0.8464/flipped to TCU)
  • Wide receiver Joseph Manjack (✯✯✯/0.8424/flipped to USC)
  • Linebacker Fred Thompson (✯✯✯/0.8407)

Who else will join them? This table is updated as commitments, decommitments and national letters of intent happen, as well as when rankings change. Click on the player’s name to read our story on their commitment; click on the stars to see the player’s profile at 247Sports:

2021 WSU Commitments

Signed? Player Pos. 247 Composite Rating Measurables (via 247) Commit Date City State Comments
Signed? Player Pos. 247 Composite Rating Measurables (via 247) Commit Date City State Comments
YES Chris Jackson DB TR - 6-0/200 1/19/21 Marietta GA Transfer from Michigan State (3 to play 3); ✯✯✯ in HS
YES Ben Wilson LB TR - 6-2/220 1/8/21 Lake Tapps WA Transfer from TCU (3 to play 2); ✯✯✯ in HS
YES Jarrett Guarantano QB TR - 6-4/213 1/8/21 Lodi NJ Grad Transfer from Tennessee (1 to play 1); ✯✯✯✯ in HS
YES CJ Moore WR ✯✯✯ 0.8817 6-5/175 10/16/20 Tulsa OK Juco transfer via OKST who was 4-star in HS
NO Lolani Langi LB ✯✯✯ 0.8700 6-2/223 1/25/21 South Jordan UT Signed w/ Boise St. 2019; Mormon mission last 2 yrs
YES Xavier Ward QB ✯✯✯ 0.8625 6-2/195 6/11/20 Corona CA Young for his class, lots of raw tools
YES Gavin Barthiel LB ✯✯✯ 0.8567 6-2/205 12/16/20 Lakeland FL Recently decommitted from GT; holds 13 P5 offers
YES Jaden Hicks DB ✯✯✯ 0.8559 6-2/192 7/14/20 Las Vegas NV Holds P5 offers from Penn St., ASU, Colorado
YES Tsion Nunnally WR ✯✯✯ 0.8552 6-2/195 7/31/20 Santa Rosa CA Holds offer from UW
YES Raam Stevenson DL ✯✯✯ 0.8519 6-3/200 8/15/20 Arlington TX Holds P5 offers from ASU, Baylor, Utah, KSU
YES Andrew Edson DL ✯✯✯ 0.8506 6-3/240 5/20/20 Snoqualmie WA Ranked No. 14 player in WA
YES Xavier Young DL ✯✯✯ 0.8484 6-4/240 5/18/20 Tallahassee FL Holds P5 offers from Maryland, Georgia Tech
YES David Gusta DL ✯✯✯ 0.8456 6-2/250 7/16/20 San Bernardino CA Flipped from Fresno State, also offered by Arizona
YES Orion Peters WR ✯✯✯ 0.8444 5-10/170 5/1/20 Inglewood CA Holds P5 offer from Arizona State
YES Francisco Mauigoa LB ✯✯✯ 0.8431 6-3/215 10/23/20 Pago Pago AS Younger brother of former OL Fred Mauigoa
YES Sam Carrell DL ✯✯✯ 0.8406 6-4/254 12/15/20 Albuquerque NM Originally committed to Baylor
YES Brock Dieu OL ✯✯✯ 0.8364 6-2/278 5/13/20 Queen Creek AZ Holds P5 offer from Arizona State + Boise State
YES Lawrence Falatea LB ✯✯✯ 0.8336 6-4/207 10/30/20 Sandy UT WSU is only reported P5 offer
YES Adrian Shepherd DB ✯✯✯ 0.8315 5-10/180 6/19/20 McKinney TX Only one other FBS offer (Louisiana)
YES Christian Hilborn OL ✯✯✯ 0.8302 6-5/280 5/5/20 Salt Lake City UT Ranked No. 14 player in UT
YES Joshua Meredith WR ✯✯✯ 0.8361 6-0/170 12/4/20 Chula Vista CA Flipped from Fresno State
YES Ryan Kershaw LB ✯✯✯ 0.8261 6-2/220 5/21/20 Yakima WA Ranked No. 17 player in WA
YES De'zhaun Stribling WR ✯✯✯ 0.8204 6-2/195 12/16/20 Kapolei HI 2020 offers from Wake Forest, Hawaii, SDSU
YES Nick Haberer P ✯✯✯ 0.7986 6-5/202 5/22/20 Melbourne AUS Comes from famed kicker school in Australia