A post-spring WSU depth chart projection, plus three Cougars enter the transfer portal
PULLMAN – Fifteen spring practices have come and gone at Washington State, which put lots on display from early March to mid-April.
Head coach Jimmy Rogers worked to integrate 32 newcomers, many of whom pushed for starting roles, and returners showed why their experience at WSU matters.
Based on a handful of open practices, interviews and other observations, here is a projected two-deep for the Cougars’ 2025 season.
A couple notes: Running back Angel Johnson missed all of spring ball with an injury, but he profiles as a starter. The same goes for linebacker Caleb Francl. Both followed Rogers from South Dakota State to WSU over the offseason.
Depth chart prediction
QB
Zevi Eckhaus, sr.
Jaxon Potter, so.
RB
Angel Johnson, sr.
Kirby Vorhees, so.
WR
Devin Ellison, jr.
Branden Ganashamoorthy, so.
WR
Tre Shackelford, sr.
Leon Neal, sr.
WR
Josh Meredith, sr.
Tony Freeman, jr.
RT
Christian Hilborn, sr.
Zack Miller, jr.
RG
Noah Dunham, fr.
Chris Lino, fr.
Brock Dieu, sr.
Kyle Martin, so.
LG
Jonny Lester, jr.
Xavier Thorpe, fr.
LT
Ashton Tripp, so.
Nathan Prichard, so.
TE
Ademola Faleye, sr.
Trey Leckner, so.
DL
Max Baloun, sr.
Soni Finau, sr.
DL
Bryson Lamb, sr.
Rashad Mackenzie, jr.
DE
Raam Stevenson, sr.
Michael Hughes, so.
DE
Isaac Terrell, jr.
Jack Janikowski, so.
LB
Caleb Francl, gr.
Anthony Palano, fr.
LB
Keith Brown, sr.
Gavin Barthiel, sr.
LB
Parker McKenna, sr.
Gage Jones, fr.
CB
Colby Humphrey, gr.
Kai Rapolla, jr.
CB
Jamorri Colson, sr.
Kamani Jackson, fr.
SS
Tucker Large, sr.
Cale Reeder, sr.
FS
Matt Durrance, sr.
Kayo Patu, fr.
Three Cougs enter transfer portal
Three WSU players announced they’re entering the transfer portal on Monday: third-year cornerback Warren Smith, redshirt freshman defensive tackle Jackson Cowgill and freshman safety Hunter Haines.
The departure of Smith, who logged 67 snaps in seven games last season, is hardly a surprise. After the Cougs’ spring showcase on Saturday, Rogers said he expected Smith to enter the portal. Smith missed a handful of practices throughout spring ball, fighting to earn playing time in a veteran-laden secondary corps.
Smith, a three-star cornerback in the class of 2023, played 20 snaps in one game as a freshman in 2023.
Cowgill never saw the field at WSU, taking a redshirt season last year. He was a three-star prospect out of Erie, Colorado.
Haines started on special teams in five games in 2024, his freshman season, totaling 40 snaps. A three-star recruit from the Portland area, Haines held an Oregon offer out of high school, which he turned down to become a Cougar.
Taken together, these don’t amount to particularly costly losses for WSU, which has tons of experience in the secondary, especially in its safety room. It’s possible Haines was looking at a longer wait to see the field, as with Cowgill and Smith.