As Washington State heads toward fall camp, the offensive line looks like one of the most important areas on the roster - and one of the few spots where the Cougars may have real competition brewing.
That matters because last season’s line was part of the reason WSU’s offense sputtered in losses to Oregon State and James Madison. The Cougars also lost to North Texas, though that one is noted as the exception.
Under new head coach Kirby Moore, there’s a clear emphasis on getting more out of the front five. WSU finished nine spots above dead last in Pro Football Focus’ pass-blocking grades and just three spots above last in run-blocking, and injuries only made a shaky unit harder to trust.
The Cougars still managed to win a bowl game for the first time in seven years, but better line play could have pushed that season even further.
For now, the group that emerged from spring ball is expected to open camp with the first team: left tackle Ashton Tripp, left guard Jonny Lester, center Kyle Martin, right guard Noah Dunham and right tackle Maximus McCree. That alignment took shape by the end of April and gives WSU a mix of returners, transfers and players looking to lock down bigger roles.
The left side appears the most settled. Tripp and Lester both return as starters, with Lester having bounced around last season because of injuries.
Martin steps in at center for graduated senior Brock Dieu. Dunham, a fourth-year Cougar, and McCree, the Washington transfer, are the two players most likely to be tested as camp opens.
The real battles are on the right side, especially at right guard and right tackle. If the season started now, Dunham and McCree would probably be the starters. But third-year sophomore Nick Bakken and fifth-year senior Jaylin Caldwell are both names to watch.
Bakken may be the most immediate threat. He stepped in for the injured Dunham in the spring game in April, and his path has already included some detours.
Listed at 6-foot-5 and 307 pounds, Bakken redshirted at South Dakota State in 2024 after appearing in six games, then played in one game last fall before an injury ended his season. Healthy for spring, he finished as the clear No. 2 at right guard.
Dunham has the edge of experience, but not by much. The 6-foot-5, 299-pound lineman played 210 snaps last fall, all at left guard, while filling in for injured starters.
He gave up one sack on seven pressures in 105 pass-blocking snaps and posted a 44.3 run-blocking grade on his other 105 snaps, a number that sat well below average. Still, he has the size and tools to take a step forward, and another year in the program should help.
Bakken, though, is right there behind him.
McCree’s hold on the right tackle job looks stronger. He took first-team reps throughout spring and, at 6-foot-6 and 296 pounds, showed surprising quickness.
His background is unusual: two years of JUCO football, one year at Maryland, then a transfer to Washington, where injuries limited him to 10 total games over two seasons. That experience, plus his spring work, gives him a real foothold.
Caldwell is the wild card. He spent his first three seasons at Division-II Grand Valley State before transferring to WSU, where he started two games last fall before suffering an injury against Virginia. He missed spring because of that injury, and it’s not clear whether he’ll be ready for camp.
If Caldwell can get on the field, the right tackle spot could become a legitimate fight. If he can’t, McCree looks like the Cougars’ answer there, and he’d be in line to start WSU’s opener on the road against Washington, his former team.
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