Wednesday was the first of the three-day early national signing period around college football, and WSU took care of business.
All 23 of the Cougs verbal commits signed within the first 10 minutes of their one-hour-long meetings with head coach Jake Dickert, he said. Despite losing both its offensive and defensive coordinator Monday, WSU had no prospects decommit.
Of the 23, the Cougs signed 11 offensive players. So without further adieu, it is time to meet the 11 new Cougar offensive freshmen.
Steele Pizzella – Quarterback, 5’11”, 180lbs, Simi Valley, California.
Despite the loss of offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Ben Arbuckle earlier in the week, Pizzella held to his commitment to the Cougs.
The California native attends Notre Dame High School, where he completed 183-of-301 passes for 2,610 yards and 29 touchdowns, rushing for 1,040 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior.
Although being a QB, Pizzella is also fleet of feet. He ran a 10.64 100-meter dash as a junior, helping his 4×100 relay team finish fourth in state.
The speedy dual-threat QB was rated a three-star recruit by 247sports, and fits the same mold WSU saw in current QB John Mateer, Dickert said.
“We love dual-threat quarterbacks. I think that’ll be our target as we continue to go through these classes. I think John shows that the the highest level this year. I don’t like to compare anyone to John, but Steele has been very impressive. He’s a 10.6 100-meter kid as a junior, so he’d be a 10.4 guy if he came back this year.”
Pizzella will be a January early enrollee, and participate in the team’s Spring camp.
Jamar Searcy – Running back, 5’8″, 170lbs, Oakland, California.
Hailing from Pittsburgh High School, Searcy is the lone running back in the Cougs signing class.
As a senior, he took 151 carries for 1,414 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns, totaling 9.4 yards per carry. He also caught 28 passes for 285 yards and three touchdowns.
He is currently in the California state playoffs and will enroll in the Fall of 2025.
“We saw Jamar in the Spring workout. We were the first to offer him. That vision was just exceptional. It was a heck of a battle hanging onto Jamar the whole way, but he’s going to be a special one.
Sean Embree Jr. – Wide receiver, 6’4″, 170lbs, Santa Margarita, California.
Embree Jr. has increased his receiving totals each of the last three seasons. with 204, 423 and 615 in the last three seasons, respectively. As a senior, he also had three touchdown receptions.
Embree has a deep football lineage. His dad Sean Jr. played tight end at Colorado and his uncle Jon also played for Colorado before playing in the NFL and then becoming the head coach at CU from 2011-12. He is now an assistant coach for the Miami Dolphins.
His cousin Taylor played wide receiver for UCLA and is currently the New England Patriots running backs coach, while his cousin Connor played wideout for UNLV and is now the Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver coach.
Hailing from Santa Margarita High School, he attended the same school as Cougar legend Klay Thompson, former Cougar wide receiver River Cracraft and current Cougar QB Jaxon Potter.
Embree Jr. will enroll in January and participate in Spring Camp.
Jack Foley – Wide receiver, 6’4″, 200lbs, Bend, Oregon.
Another early enrollee, Foley hauled in 52 passes for 1,192 yards and a school record 17 touchdowns his senior year at Mountain View High School.
Foley helped lead his team to the Oregon 5A state title game, and was rated a three-star recruit by 247sports, the fifth overall recruit in Oregon.
Noah Westbrook – Wide receiver, 6’1″, 205lbs, Corona, California.
Westbrook strays slightly from the size trend of the Cougar wide receiver class but still has length at 6-foot-1. As a senior at Centennial High School, he reeled in 30 catches for 413 yards and five touchdowns, being rated a three-star prospect by 247sports.
“Wide receiver, the focus was length and size and outside pass-catching ability,” Dickert said. “All three of these guys will be mid-year enrollees. Sean Embree; Jack Foley had 17 touchdowns in Oregon, which was just incredible. Noah Westbrook is an extremely strong pass catcher.”
Cash Landau – Tight end, 6’4″, 225lbs, Portland, Oregon.
Landau was named Oregon All-State Honorable mention as a junior, hauling in 61 passes for 1,108 yards and 17 touchdowns, and had 41 catches for 554 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior at Franklin High School.
One of WSU’s two Portland tight ends, Landau was rated a three-star prospect by 247sports, the No. 117 tight end in the nation and the No. 13 prospect in Oregon.
Landau’s dad, Robert, played offensive line at McGill University in Canada while his mom, Deb Miller, rowed at the University of Victoria.
Landau will enroll in the Fall of 2025.
“We reloaded at tight end with Cash Landau,” Dickert said. “Cash is over 29 career touchdowns, that’s a phenomenal career.”
Peyton Read – Tight End, 6’6″, 220lbs, Portland, Oregon.
The second tallest Cougar signee, Read brought in 42 catches for 500 yards and four touchdowns as a senior at Westview High School. He was also named to the All-Metro League First Team as a defensive end, and Third Team as a tight end.
He was rated a three-star prospect by 247sports.
“If you would have asked Cash two years ago he would say he’s a basketball player. That’s what I love in a tight end, six plus, long, lengthy guy that’s just getting started into the game. It’s beyond exciting to have him on our roster,” Dickert said.
Turner Bertrand – Offensive Line, 6’7″, 290lbs, Kearney, Nebraska.
Offensive line was the hardest position in the country to find in this year’s recruiting class, Dickert said. That led to WSU going all the way to Nebraska for the tallest 2025 Cougar signee.
Bertrand was named to the Nebraska Class A Preseason Elite 33 Team after being named among the state’s top offensive linemen by SI.com as a Junior.
He was rated a three-star prospect and the No. 13 overall prospect in Nebraska by ESPN.com.
“The focus was length and size,” Dickert said. “Turner will be that project left tackle.”
Aidan Martin – Offensive Line, 6’6″, 265lbs, Denver, Colorado.
Also projecting as a tackle, Martin was rated the No. 5 prospect from Colorado by 247sports.com after a solid career at Northfield High School.
“Aidan Martin, tackle, easy. I just think he’s one that, as you see throughout our process, we kind of got him midway though his senior year because he was just a vet. Just kept getting better and better,” Dickert said.
Liam Vaughan – Offensive Line, 6’2″, 295lbs, Walled Lake, Michigan.
The first WSU recruit from Michigan since 2018, Vaughan is another example of the lengths Wazzu went to secure “some beef inside,” Dickert said.
He projects as an interior offensive lineman and is the only lineman from the class who will enroll in January.
As a junior at Walled Lake Western High School, he made the All-State First Team, as well as All-State for wrestling while qualifying for state in the shot put.
As a senior, he did not allow a sack and recorded 108 pancake blocks. He was a two-time captain and four-year starter, as well as a two-time Anvil Award Finalist for the state’s top offensive or defensive lineman.
His brother, Aidan, was also a linebacker at Wisconsin and currently plays for Liberty.
He is the first four-time All-League player and was rated a three-star prospect by 247sports.
“Liam is just nasty. They recorded 108 pancakes, that’s a heck of a stat. He’s going to be a mid-year and it’ll be a quick start on him being a guard,” Dickert said.
Arion Williams – Offensive Line, 6’2″, 280lbs, Fontana, California.
Last but not least, the center. Williams played tackle at Orange Lutheran High School, being named to the First Team All-Trinity League. He was rated a three-star recruit by 247sports.
“Arion is playing in the best league in the country in the Trinity League and he’s playing tackle. He’ll be a center for us. Super athletic, 33.5 inch arms. So it isn’t just about height, it’s about creating contact in there. His athleticism is off the charts. The competitive nature you see on tape is elite,” Dickert said.
Make sure to check out the Cougar signing day, defense edition, to meet the other 12 new Cougs.
