Boise State’s 2026 roster makeover is already taking shape, and the newcomers at the top of the list all have a real path to playing time.
The Broncos signed the highest-rated recruiting class in program history after the 2025 season and added double-digit transfers through the portal, giving them a deep pool of first-year players as they move from the Mountain West to the Pac-12. A handful of those additions could be in the starting lineup right away.
Among the newcomers expected to matter most is wide receiver Chris Wright, a fifth-year senior who arrives after putting up huge numbers at De Anza College. Boise State lost its top four pass-catchers from last season, so there’s room for somebody to step in quickly, and Wright has the production to make a push.
In 2024, he caught 53 passes for 964 yards and 13 touchdowns. He was even better the year before, when he earned Golden Coast League Offensive Most Valuable Player honors after posting 59 catches for 1,173 yards and 12 scores.
The 5-foot-11, 165-pound Wright was ranked the No. 225 overall JUCO prospect nationally and the No. 32 receiver by 247Sports. If he translates that game to the next level, he could wind up as Boise State’s top receiver this season.
The secondary is another spot where the Broncos need instant help. Boise State has four starting jobs to fill back there, and the staff went into the transfer portal looking for veterans who can settle things down.
One of those players is safety Jaden Tillmon, who spent three years at FCS South Dakota and appeared in 35 games. He started all 15 games last season and finished with 94 total tackles, second on the team.
The 5-foot-11, 185-pound Tillmon was ranked the transfer portal’s No. 73 safety by 247Sports, and he’s expected to slide into the nickelback role while Jaden Mickey moves over to corner.
Another portal addition with a clear opportunity is cornerback Isaac Washington Jr. He played in 30 games and made 29 starts over three seasons at Kennesaw State, and he brings plenty of experience to a Boise State defense that needs it.
The 5-foot-9, 176-pound coverage specialist was a second-team all-Conference USA selection in 2024 after recording two interceptions and 43 total tackles. He finished last season with 52 total tackles, 12 pass breakups and two forced fumbles.
247Sports ranked him as the No. 310 overall portal cornerback, and he enters camp as the favorite to start opposite Mickey.
Boise State also has a freshman receiver who could force his way onto the field immediately. Jackson Jones was one of spring practice’s breakout names, and the 6-foot-2, 199-pound prospect looks like a player who can make noise right away.
As a senior at nearby Rocky Mountain High School, he scored 14 total touchdowns in 12 games while also contributing on defense with five interceptions and 36 total tackles. Jones was a late climb in the recruiting rankings, rising to No. 3 overall in Idaho and No. 109 among receivers nationally in the 247Sports class of 2026 composite rankings.
He could be a Day 1 starter at outside receiver.
The offensive line picture changed when left tackle Kage Casey was selected in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos, and Boise State appears to have found a replacement in transfer tackle Ben Ethridge. The Division II transfer from Colorado State-Pueblo made 29 career starts at left tackle and earned two all-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference selections.
During spring practice, he nearly locked up the starting job. The 6-foot-3, 308-pound Ethridge was rated the No. 206 portal offensive tackle prospect by 247Sports, and the Broncos need him to step in and fill Casey’s spot.
In Other News...
Three Boise State Names Could Change Everything In Year One Pac-12
Boise States first season in the Pac-12 is already putting a spotlight on the next wave of Broncos, and the early read is that the roster is starting to sort itself out in a few important places. Dylan Riley and Boen Phelps have both made encouraging strides, while the receiver room has been rebuilt enough that every practice rep matters as the Broncos look for reliable options and a clearer pecking order before the conference grind begins.
Among the names worth watching, Brown brings the kind of speed that can tilt a game in a hurry, Sherrod Smith has shown enough in limited action to stay in the conversation if he can keep pushing forward, and Wagner looks positioned for a bigger offensive footprint with the tight end room changing around him. For a team about to step into a new league, those kinds of internal jumps can matter just as much as any outside addition, and Boise State still has a few key decisions to sort through before year one really takes shape. [Read more 🡒]