WSU Football Recruiting: Cougs Going After Speed And Big-Time Talent at DL

To continue the position by position offers list we are going to switch gears and go to the defensive side of the ball. The cougs have been landing commits left and right with 7 commits so far for the 2014 class with 3 on the defensive side and 4 on the offensive side. The list of offered defensive lineman will continue to grow as the coaches are still handing out offers and are starting to get into the commitment season.

Defensive Tackle

• Ainuu Taua 

Lompoc Senior HS, Lompoc, CA – 6’1″, 270 lbs

• Cedric Johnson 

Rowlett HS, Rowlett, TX – 6’2″, 285 lbs

Defensive End

• Davon Godchaux 

Plaquemine Senior HS, Plaquemine, LA – 6’4″, 271 lbs

•  Malik Dorton 

St. John Bosco HS, Bellflower, CA – 6’3″, 235 lbs

•  Uriah Leiataua 

Dominguez HS, Compton, CA – 6’4″, 265 lbs

•  Sekou Clark 

Ryan HS, Denton, TX – 6’3″,235 lbs

•  Connor Humphreys 

Central Catholic HS, Portland, OR – 6’4″, 265 lbs

•  Grant Blankenship 

The Colony HS, The Colony, TX – 6’6″, 235 lbs

•  Matt Dickerson 

Junipero Serra HS, San Mateo, CA – 6’5″, 260

•  Tim Wilkerson 

Katy HS, Katy, TX – 6’3″, 220 lbs

•  Kennedy Emesibe 

Oak Hills HS, Oak Hills, CA – 6’4″, 235 lbs

•  Lamone Williams 

Kahuku HS, KAhuku, HI – 6’3″, 245 lbs

•  Kingston Fernandez 

Kapolei HS, Kahuku, HI – 6’3″, 235 lbs

The defensive line in the past few years has not been the best for the Cougars but has been improving in leaps and bounds very quickly. Commit Marcus Griffin is going to immediately help the cougars out on the defensive line. Griffin has been tearing up camps across the country and is gaining national attention. All but one of the prospects the cougars are going after for the 2014 class are all ranked 3-stars or higher.

The main focus for the Cougars the past few years has been on the offensive side as Mike Leach is an offensive guru and attacks those players but the defensive side is not lacking in attention. In the 2013 class the Cougars landed 5 players. 2 tackles and 3 D-Ends.

Size and speed are two things that the head coaches are going after with most of the players being over 6-3 and around 250-lbs. On the current WSU roster there are 3 players over 6-3. The current defensive line is also really young with 6 of the 9 being underclassman. Speed kills and the head coaches understand that are going after the tall players that can get where they need to be and quickly. The time of the B.J. Raji’s and Ryan Pickett’s are over and the players like South Carolina’s Jadeveon Clowney are moving in.

Look for the Cougs to land a few more defensive lineman commits to accompany Griffin and the already young and improving defensive squad.