Washington State will head into the 2026 season with five familiar names on the Pac-12 Conference Preseason Impact Watch List.
The conference office announced Friday that wideout and punt returner Tony Freeman, defensive end Matyus McLain, safety Jaylen Thomas, offensive lineman Ashton Tripp and running back Kirby Vorhees were all included on the list.
Freeman, a senior from Richmond, Calif., put together one of the most explosive special teams seasons in the country last year and was named the Pac-12 Conference Top Special Teams Performer. He finished sixth nationally with a 17.3 punt return average, a mark that set the WSU single-season record.
Freeman also had five returns of 40 yards or more, which ranked third-most nationally, and added eight returns of 20-plus yards. His work didn’t stop there - as a receiver, he caught 54 passes for 590 yards and three touchdowns and finished with 1,004 all-purpose yards.
McLain arrives in Pullman after three seasons at Idaho, where he earned All-Big Sky Conference honorable mention last season. The redshirt-junior from Priest River, Idaho, totaled 42 tackles with 13.5 for loss, including 4.5 sacks.
Thomas transferred from San Jose State in January and gives the Cougars another proven defensive back. The redshirt-sophomore from Los Gatos, Calif., redshirted in 2024 before starting all 12 games last season. He finished with 59 tackles, six pass breakups and two forced fumbles.
Up front, Tripp returns after starting all 13 games at left tackle a year ago. The redshirt-junior from Kennewick, Wash., logged 887 snaps and allowed just one sack on 490 pass attempts. He wrapped up the year with a personal-best pass block grade in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl win over Utah State.
Vorhees gives Washington State another back with production already on the résumé. The redshirt-junior from Lutz, Fla., played in 12 games last season and led the team with 576 rushing yards and five touchdowns. He also caught 19 passes for 125 yards.
Washington State opens the season Sunday, September 6 at Washington.
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WSUs Preseason Honor Roll Reveals One Cougar Fans May Be Underrating
The Pac-12s preseason impact list gave Washington State a useful snapshot of where the coaches see the roster heading, with five Cougars earning spots across offense, defense and special teams. Left tackle Ashton Tripp and running back Kirby Vorhees represented the offense, while defensive end Matyus McLain and safety Jaylen Thomas made the defensive side, giving the Cougars a mix of established line play and back-end talent heading into the season.
The most interesting name on the list might be Tony Freeman, whose value stretches beyond one spot thanks to his work at wide receiver and as a punt returner. His selection hints at just how much the staff and league respect his versatility, even as Jaylen Thomas inclusion suggests the secondary may have a player coaches view as more impactful than some of the more familiar names around him. Elsewhere around the program, former Cougar quarterback Alex Brink is also taking on a bigger role in broadcasting, adding analyst duties on USA television broadcasts. [Read more 🡒]