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Former TCU, Sumner High linebacker Ben Wilson announces transfer to Washington State

TCU linebacker Ben Wilson (18) hunts down the ball during a game against Oklahoma State earlier this season. Wilson, a former Sumner High product, announced Wednesday he'd be transferring to Washington State. (Courtesy of TCU Athletics)
By Theo Lawson theol@spokesman.com(509) 459-5584

Last Wednesday, when Nick Rolovich unveiled Washington State’s 2021 signing class, the coach indicated he’d leave a few scholarships open in case the Cougars came across anything, or anyone, intriguing on the transfer market.

That came to fruition less than a week later, as TCU linebacker and former in-state product Ben Wilson announced he’d be transferring to Washington State with two years of eligibility remaining. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound linebacker entered his name on the transfer portal on Dec. 14.

Wilson was a junior for the Horned Frogs this fall, so with the NCAA allowing all athletes an additional year of eligibility, and the governing body of college sports expecting to announce a blanket transfer rule permitting immediate eligibility, the former TCU player should be able to help the Cougars in 2021 and ‘22.

“Excited for this new opportunity to play at Washington State University! Feels good to be home! #GoCougs” Wilson wrote in a tweet Wednesday announcing his transfer plans. 

Before signing with TCU, Wilson was a four-star prospect (247Sports) at Sumner High School and chose the Horned Frogs over Arizona, Arizona State, California, Louisville, Oregon State, Syracuse, UCLA, Utah, Vanderbilt, Washington and WSU. A handful of mid-major schools also offered Wilson, including the Hawaii program Rolovich was presiding over at the time.

In June of 2017, Wilson listed WSU as one of his top seven schools and posted photos of a visit to the Pullman campus in April of 2016, then nearly a year later in March of 2017.

According to his TCU bio, Wilson played in 29 total games for the Horned Frogs in three seasons, recording 34 tackles with one fumble recovery. He showed a penchant for special teams during TCU’s 10-game 2020 season, blocking two punts. 

Wilson was a two-way star for Sumner High, rushing for 1,259 yards and 20 touchdowns as the Spartans’ No. 1 tailback and recording 141 tackles with 11 tackles-for-loss as a linebacker. In three seasons with Sumner’s varsity team, Wilson was responsible for 523 total tackles, according to MaxPreps.com.

For the Cougars, who conceded 38.5 points per game during their short four-game Pac-12 season, it won’t hurt to have more competition at the inside linebacker positions, and Wilson would theoretically have a good opportunity to start in 2022, once Jahad Woods, Justus Rogers and Dillon Sherman all graduate.