After losing a group of recruits who followed ex-head coach Jake Dickert to Wake Forest, WSU football needed to put extra time into the high school recruiting process this offseason. New head coach Jimmy Rogers has put together a solid group of recruits for 2025.
WSU now has 26 commits, including 14 three-star recruits. They are ranked as the No. 74 recruiting class according to rivals.com,  and the No. 83 recruiting class according to 247 sports.Â
Being ranked outside the top 80 is uncharted water for the Cougars. Since recruiting classes started being ranked, the Cougs have never been out of the top 76 and were once consistently ranked among the 50 best recruiting classes in the nation. However, the landscape of college football is changing and with a brand new coaching staff and conference, it is tougher to convince players to give Pullman a chance.
Of course, as the new Pac-12 stabilizes and Rogers builds his staff and reputation, there is no reason that WSU should not be able to consistently recruit at least among the top 60 schools in the country.
This year’s new recruiting class is highlighted by three-star wide receiver Noah Westbrook. Westbrook caught 30 passes for five touchdowns as a high school senior last year at Centennial High School. However, he caught nine touchdowns as a junior in 2023.
One intriguing recruit is quarterback Owen Eshelman. Eshelman comes from Norman, Oklahoma, a city that has only brought disappointment to WSU so far this year. Despite being a 0-star recruit, Eshelman had initially committed to South Dakota State to play for Rogers. He now joins Rogers at WSU after an impressive senior season.
Last year he threw for 2,691 yards and 29 touchdowns (13 interceptions) while also rushing for 1,383 yards and 19 touchdowns, leading his team to the state quarterfinals. While his 53% completion rate was a weak point, Eshelman showed the ability to be a dual-threat passer. In that way, he could be a similar archetype to John Mateer, who coincidentally left Pullman for Norman last month. At 6-foot-2, 176 pounds, Eshelman is not blowing anyone away with his size or physical traits, but he has tools and could have a potential future at WSU down the road.
