WSU Football Recruiting: 18th Ranked LB Chandler Leniu Becomes Fourteenth Commit to Cougs

Washington State has picked up their 14th commit to the 2014 class in Chandler Leniu out of St. John Bosco high in Bellflower, CA.

The commitment actually took place toward the tail end of last week, but we missed it. It is a significant verbal for Mike Leach.

Leniu (6’1, 225) is the 18th ranked middle linebacker in the class according to Scout, 25th ILB according to 247 Sports and a three-star prospect. He is also one of only four Cali players to have been nominated for the 2013 Butkus Award for high school football athletes. He gained the honor after dialing up 157 tackles (111 solo) and earning All CIF First Team Defense and Trinity League Defensive MVP awards as a junior in 2012.

He says he knew he wanted to be a Cougar on his official visit over the weekend of the Idaho game, 10 or so days ago. When he met with Mike Leach and (LB coach) Ken Wilson, that was it. A few days later, he sealed it by calling (area recruiter) Dennis Simmons and Leach up.

Sean Krepsz also committed a couple days earlier in the week after his visit on that homecoming weekend.

With Leniu’s commitment, the WSU defensive hype for this upcoming 2014 class, in my opinion, has the chance to grow to (possibly) “best in the history of WSU” proportions. Leniu joins OLB’s Frank Luvu and Greg Hoyd, CB’s Joe Turner and Kevin Griffin and DT Marcus Griffin as Cougar commitments on that side of the ball. There is obviously much work to be done.

He held offers from several other schools, including TCU, Fresno State, Iowa State, Nevada, Kansas and more.

For more on the Chandler Leniu commitment, click here.

Go Cougs!