“The Den” keeps getting stronger. WSU football stays busy even when games are not played, adding and recruiting new players to the roster to lead the future of the program under head coach Jake Dickert.
Just under one month ago, the 2024 recruiting class sat at four total recruits, with that class now being at 12 total recruits. Five of those recruits are offensive players, six are on the defensive end and one is an athlete, meaning he has positional versatility that will be more developed once he arrives on the Palouse.
All twelve recruits are three-star recruits, coming from all over the nation. With the new additions, the WSU class comes in ranked as the 67th overall recruiting class in the nation, up from the 78th-best class on June 18.
With all eight of the new recruits having independent positions from one another, the 2024 class looks to be one where all of the players may become household names if they develop.
RB – Josh Joyner
The best recruit of the class to this point, Joyner hails from Oxnard, California, and stands 5-foot-10 inches tall and 172 pounds. One of the only nationally-ranked recruits for WSU, Joyner is the 863rd-best in the nation and 64th-best at his position.
Choosing WSU over Arizona, Boston College, Colorado and San Diego State, Joyner hopes to fill the void left by Nakia Watson and Jaylen Jenkins following their eventual departure.
QB – Evans Chuba
Recruiting the position behind center is always vital, as a good QB usually makes or breaks collegiate offenses more than most levels. While WSU looks ripe with young talent at the position, competition is always welcome.
Chuba, from Clearwater, Florida, stands at 6-foot-4, 205 pounds and is the 69th-ranked QB in the nation. In 2022, he completed 133-of-259 passes for 2,173 yards with 20 TD and 8 INT. On the ground, he added 356 yards and seven TD on 47 carries. His Clearwater Academy International team went 10-1 and won its second-straight Sunshine State Independent Association championship, according to 24/7 Sports.
WSU won his commitment over the likes of Arkansas State, East Carolina and Syracuse, benefiting from his visit to the campus after all of those programs.
CB – Tyson Weaver
Weaver comes in as the highest-rated defensive recruit for WSU, coming in ranked 1090th nationally, 98th in his position and 14th in the state of Washington out of Sammamish. The Cougs got Weaver over Arizona and Georgia Tech.
In a September 2022 evaluation, national recruiter Brandon Huffman projected Weaver to be a power-5 starter with “really good ball skills, able to instinctively jump routes and break up passes or pick the ball,” according to 24/7 Sports.
S – Dajon Doss
Another defensive player to choose the Cougs over Arizona, Doss is a 6-foot-1-inch safety from Lancaster, California. The 123rd-ranked safety in his class, his speed is his selling point. Running a 1.60-100m, 24.10-200m as a freshman, he is the perfect fit to ball-hawk deep in coverage.
Playing both receiver and safety in high school will also benefit him, making him a threat on any ball thrown in his way once coming to Pullman.
Edge – Camden DeGraw
DeGraw is the second-ranked prospect out of Idaho, coming from the local Couer d’Alene. Standing at 6-foot-6-inches and weighing 235 pounds, his frame on the edge is prototypical for those who dominate the line.
He chose WSU over Boise State and Eastern Washington but will be locked into a deep position battle in a loaded position once he officially becomes a Coug.
OT – Chris Lino
Offensive tackles are rarely celebrated as recruits, but the 6-foot-7-inch, 325-pound Lino out of Seattle looks to help solidify the Cougs line alongside fellow recruit Carson Osmus. Lino got offers from the likes of Boston College, California, Hawaii and Nevada but decided WSU was the best option for his career.
In a November 2022 evaluation from Huffman, Lino was projected as a power-5 starter who shows “some flashes where you can see the tackling ability that should translate to the next level, good hand usage and some real upside,” according to 24/7 Sports.
ATH – Jaylen Edmond
Edmond comes from Las Vegas and is the 13th-ranked recruit from Nevada. Playing at Bishop Gorman High School, Edmond is accustomed to expectations and pressure, as they have been nationally recognized as one of the best high school programs.
LB – Frank Cusano
Last but not least, Cusano, out of Granite Bay, California, chose the Cougs over Air Force, Idaho, Army and Columbia. The 6-foot-3-inch linebacker has an uphill battle to find playing time but looks ready to compete and fight for a spot.
While fans will have to wait a season to see these players in action, the current team begins their training camp in the coming weeks to prepare for their season opener at Colorado State Sept. 2 at 4 p.m. and their home opener against Wisconsin Sept. 9 at 4:30 p.m.
