Jamey Vinnick

Pullman, Redmond

Palouse Bureau Chief at 247Sports

Award-winning beat writer for @COUGFANcom @WSUPullman alum: #RIP3 #LLBB #PVE: Viva the Underdogs

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Articles

WSU football: Resetting roster needs with portal closed

21 hours ago | 247sports.com | Jamey Vinnick

WASHINGTON STATE'S FOOTBALL ROSTER currently stands at 108 players by our count, but the need to drop to 105 by July 1 is now in flux. Judge Claudia Wilken, the federal judge overseeing the NCAA's $2.8 billion antitrust lawsuit settlement, said last week she will deny final approval if current athletes lose their roster spots. Long story short, whether rosters this season will come in around the old average of 120-plus or the proposed newly prescribed limit (105) is an open question.
The greatest deal in NIL history: How Cameron Ward and a group of WSU alums came together

1 day ago | 247sports.com | Jamey Vinnick

WHEN WASHINGTON STATE reeled in Cameron Ward out of the NCAA football transfer portal in January 2022, NIL was still in its infancy. It was supposed to be about players agreeing to promote the local sandwich shop, not the pay-for-play epidemic it's devolved into. There was no Cougar Collective in those days and Ward was light years away from becoming the No. 1 overall pick this past weekend in the NFL Draft.
Projecting Washington State's post-spring football depth chart: Offense

1 day ago | 247sports.com | Jamey Vinnick

Injuries have left one key position with question marksVIPSPRING FOOTBALL AT WASHINGTON STATE is a distant memory, roster churn is in full bloom, and the 2025 opener is months away. But the two-deeps started to take shape as spring drills went along and provided clues as to what it may look like in August. Of course, much may change between now and then and transfer portal additions continue to reverberate as Wazzu finalizes its roster and get down to the projected 105-man new threshold by July 1.
Esa Pole signs with Kansas City Chiefs after going undrafted

2 days ago | 247sports.com | Jamey Vinnick

THE WSU TACKLE is NFL-bound. While things didn't go to plan for Esa Pole on Saturday, as he went undrafted, it didn't take long for him to finalize a deal as a free agent. From Pullman to Kansas City? Yup, that's exactly how things are going down for the 6-7, 320-pounder. There was plenty of buzz that Pole would be a seventh-round pick, but it was a bit of a surprise that he didn't hear his name called.
Kyle Williams drafted by New England in Round 3 of 2025 NFL Draft

3 days ago | 247sports.com | Jamey Vinnick

KYLE WILLIAMS HAS a new NFL home. The New England Patriots drafted the Washington State wide receiver in the third round Saturday with the No. 69 overall selection. He was the eighth WR taken in the 2024 NFL Draft, and became the first WSU WR selected since Dezmon Patmon was picked in the sixth round by the Colts in 2020. Williams is the highest Cougar wideout taken since Gail Cogdill at No. 63 overall in 1960, and the highest Cougar selected period since Andre Dillard in 2019.
New Coug DT transfer blown away by WSU community support

3 days ago | 247sports.com | Jamey Vinnick

'DTs are not expected to move the way I do,' says new CougVIPAS DARRION DALTON exited the plane to begin his official visit to Washington State, he was greeted with a "Go Cougs" from the flight attendant. From there, everything else fell into place. The San Diego State transfer defensive tackle, who just announced his verbal commitment to WSU and Jimmy Rogers on social media, tells Cougfan.com the support for WSU factored in heavily to his decision.
WSU's Tre Shackelford enters transfer portal at last minute

3 days ago | 247sports.com | Jamey Vinnick

Cougars suddenly could use an experienced wideoutVIPWITH THE TRANSFER PORTAL closing to player entry at midnight Friday, another Washington State football player has hopped in. Tre Shackelford has entered and with a "Do Not Contact" tag, as first reported by on3sports.com. The 6-1, 198-pound wide receiver from Decatur, Ala., this spring primarily ran with the first-team offense, with Devin Ellison and Josh Meredith looking like the top two receiver targets in the new Cougar offense.
WSU's Leyton Smithson, Mr. Counterculture, dubs it 'punk rock' to stay at one school

4 days ago | 247sports.com | Jamey Vinnick

'There's this kind of standard set in the culture of college athletics (about transferring) but it doesn't mean that you have to buy into it'VIPTHERE MAY NOT be a more distinctive football player at Washington State, on the field and off, than senior receiver Leyton Smithson. Outside the lines, Smithson expresses himself with tattoos, of which he has upwards of 30, and enjoys playing guitar and jamming to classic rock. And on the field? Smithson's Washington State career started with a bang.
NFL Draft kicks off as Coug hopefuls eye NFL dreams; Ward projected to go No. 1

4 days ago | 247sports.com | Jamey Vinnick

THE NFL DRAFT has arrived and a pair of Washington State players are anxiously awaiting to hear their names called. Wide receiver Kyle Williams is widely projected to be picked in either the second or third round, while offensive tackle Esa Pole profiles as a sixth or seventh-round pick, or undrafted free agent. The first round gets underway at 5 p.m. on ESPN from Green Bay and barring a late surprise, the first name called will be a Washington State graduate.
Nicknamed by his grandmother, WSU culture seals the deal for transfer DE Buddha Peleti

4 days ago | 247sports.com | Jamey Vinnick

THERE'S A NEW BUDDHA in town. Indeed, Washington State has added DE Fallauga "Buddha" Peleti (6-2, 250) out of the transfer portal. He comes to WSU from New Mexico State and will have one year of eligibility remaining, telling Cougfan.com he was blown away by the culture in Pullman. "The entire staff shows real love and they care about your growth development, not only as a player but also as a person," Peleti said. "That's the kind of culture that wins football games.