The influx of talent from the 25 recruits the WSU football team signed on National Signing Day has Athletic Director Bill Moos and those around the program excited for the 2017 season.

“We’re building a roster that can compete with anybody,” Moos said during Monday’s edition of Cougar Calls with Bill Moos.

WSU signed a pair of three-star wide-receiver recruits on Wednesday to compliment the late acquisition of four-star wide receiver Jamire Calvin.

Former WSU quarterback Jason Gesser said the Cougars’ defensive recruiting focus has been to get faster in the front seven, particularly at the linebacker position.

“They’re looking for tall, lean, fast athletic guys that are very versatile and can play multiple positions,” Gesser said.

Linebackers coach Roy Manning’s recruiting powers were noted in the radio show due to plucking big addition three-star linebacker Willie Rodgers III out of his own hometown in Saginaw, Michigan. Rodgers III is expected to contribute early.

“He is a passionate guy,” Chief of Staff of football Dave Emerick said. “He does a great job of relating with kids and selling them on Washington State.”

Emerick said Defensive Coordinator Alex Grinch, since taking the reins in 2015, has emphasized that WSU needs to prioritize agility and acceleration when evaluating a recruit, since the Pac-12 Conference is known for its plethora of schools that run up-tempo offenses, WSU being one of them.

“That’s always a huge priority of coach Grinch on defense,” Emerick said. “We would much rather have a faster guy than a bigger guy, if given the choice. Obviously, they still have to be able to add weight and develop in our weight, but we’re always going to opt for athleticism over size.”

The program received a jolt of optimism when redshirt junior quarterback Luke Falk confirmed that he will return for his senior season on Jan. 11.

As a fan of the New England Patriots, Falk has outwardly said he models his game after Tom Brady. Falk drew the comparison from the Cougars’ record-holding signal caller on the radio show when referencing the Patriots’ comeback win in Super Bowl LI, according to Gesser on the radio show.

“Luke Falk is just like Tom Brady,” Gesser said.

Falk throws with a similar accuracy on short and safe pass patterns and has said he is working on becoming a more vocal leader, something Brady thrives at. With wide receivers Gabe Marks and River Cracraft graduating, Falk’s leadership was noted as being a critical factor in determining the success of the 2017 team.

The Cougars’ new recruits will first take the field on Apr. 22 in Spokane at Joe Albi Field in the team’s Crimson and Gray spring game.