Cougars Add Trio of Transfer Portal Reinforcements, Bolstering Key Position Groups
Washington State continues to reshape its roster through the transfer portal, and on Friday, the Cougars added two more names to the mix - bringing their total haul to 27 players this offseason. Wide receiver Jordan Dees (West Georgia) and defensive tackle Jirah Leaupepetele (Eastern Washington) are the newest additions to a group that’s been carefully curated to address some of the team’s biggest offseason losses.
Let’s start with Dees, who becomes the fifth wide receiver WSU has pulled from the portal. At 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds, the Mobile, Alabama native brings size and outside receiving ability to a position group that’s clearly been a focus for head coach Kirby Moore and his staff.
Dees began his college career in 2024 at West Georgia - the same year the program transitioned from Division II to the FCS level. After redshirting and seeing limited action as a freshman, he broke out last season with 36 catches, 508 yards, and three touchdowns.
Dees joins a growing group of outside receivers in Pullman that already includes Oregon State transfer Darrius Clemons (6-foot-3) and junior college product Ryan McKendry (6-foot-2). It’s clear the Cougs are aiming for size on the perimeter.
But they’re also covering their bases in the slot, having landed Florida transfer Tank Hawkins and Missouri’s Daniel Blood - both known for their speed and agility in tight spaces. Add returning veteran Tony Freeman to the mix, and WSU suddenly has a deep and diverse receiving corps with a blend of size, speed, and experience.
Dees, a three-star recruit out of Saraland High School in Alabama, had offers from programs like Arkansas State, Liberty, UAB, and Alabama A&M coming out of high school. Now, he’s taking the next step at the FBS level with the Cougars - a sign of how much he’s developed since his high school days.
On the other side of the ball, WSU continues to fortify the defensive line with the addition of Leaupepetele, who becomes the fifth defensive tackle added this cycle. At 6-foot-3 and 322 pounds, the Apple Valley, California native brings serious size to the interior of the line.
He spent the last three seasons at Eastern Washington, appearing in 23 games and logging 574 defensive snaps. While he didn’t start during his time there, he was a steady rotational presence, finishing last season with 18 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, half a sack, and a pass breakup.
Leaupepetele had no shortage of suitors after entering the portal on January 12, receiving offers from UMass, Hawaii, UTEP, and North Texas before ultimately choosing WSU. He’ll join a crowded but competitive defensive tackle room that includes Cal transfer Ike Okafor, Marshall’s Paul Hutson III, junior college addition Akio Martinson, and Saint Mary’s (FCS) transfer Balaam Miller.
That group will be tasked with replacing key contributors Bryson Lamb and Max Baloun, both of whom followed former WSU defensive coordinator Jimmy Rogers to Iowa State. The Cyclones also scooped up former Cougar defensive ends Isaac Terrell and Malaki Ta’ase, which only raises the stakes for WSU’s new-look defensive front. Edge additions like DJ Warner (SMU), Eduka Okundaye (Arizona), Linus Zunk (Vanderbilt), and Matyus McLain (Idaho) will also be key in filling the void left by those departures.
And the Cougars weren’t done. On Saturday, they landed their 28th transfer portal commitment in junior college cornerback Elmo Wartson, per a report from 247 Sports. Wartson, listed at 6-foot-3 and 185 pounds, is the fifth cornerback WSU has added this offseason and brings both size and production to the secondary.
A Modesto, California native, Wartson played the last two seasons at Modesto College, where he posted 36 tackles and six pass breakups in 10 games last year. He showed a knack for making plays on the ball, with three breakups in a win over College of the Sequoias and two more in a victory over Reedley. Wartson drew interest from a wide range of programs, including Baylor, Mississippi State, Boise State, and Fresno State, and took visits to WSU, Boise, and Fresno before committing to the Cougs.
With 28 transfer additions now in the fold, Washington State’s offseason roster overhaul is one of the most aggressive in the country. But it’s also been strategic - targeting positions of need with players who bring size, experience, and upside. As the Cougars gear up for 2026, they’re banking on this influx of talent to help them stay competitive in a rapidly evolving college football landscape.