PULLMAN – The Washington State football program has drawn unprecedented amounts of offseason publicity since colorful Mike Leach took over as coach in December, but the initial impact of Leach’s arrival on recruiting appears marginal.
Scout.com, perhaps the most diligent media source for college football recruiting information, ranked WSU’s recruits 57th among the 120 Football Bowl Subdivision schools – and last in the Pacific-12 Conference – as of early Tuesday evening. Most recruits sign national letters of intent today.
Scout.com also ranked WSU 57th last year (ninth in the Pac-12), when the Cougars were credited with no five-star recruits, one four-star recruit and nine three-star recruits. This year’s crop again includes no player with five stars and one with four stars, plus 10 with three stars.
The Cougars have just three in-state recruits for the second straight year. One of those players is two-star outside linebacker Jacob Tuivaiave from Tacoma’s Washington High School.
Scout.com lists Tuivaiave as one of nine WSU recruits who agreed to accept scholarships when Paul Wulff was still the coach. Ten other Wulff commits are no longer listed as WSU commits by Scout.com.
Leach’s first recruiting class is heavy on wide receivers and offensive linemen, both of which are key positions in Leach’s hurry-up, pass-happy offense.
Three high school wide receivers from the Los Angeles area – Gabriel Marks, Robert Woods and Alex Jackson – earned four stars from either Scout.com, Rivals.com or ESPN.com. Rivals.com lists Woods as a four-star running back.
The Cougars lost talented Lakes High wideout Cedric Dozier – listed as a four-star cornerback by Scout.com – when he chose California over WSU on Tuesday. However, Scout.com reported Tuesday that three-star safety Taylor Tailulu flip-flopped a second time this week and has now re-committed to WSU after earlier saying he would stay in his home state to play for Hawaii.
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