Cougars

Jeremiah Allison, LB

6-1, 210, Los Angeles

Dorsey HS

Straight-A student and captain with 4.31 GPA. ... Scout.com's No. 40 OLB prospect nationally, No. 53 by Rivals.com. ... Had 63 career sacks as OLB and DE. High school coach Paul Knox: "He can run you over, or he has a really good spin. He has a really good get-off the ball."

Austin Apodaca, QB

6-3, 185, Longmont, Colo.

Silver Creek HS

Committed last June and was retained by new staff. ... Denver Post's All-Colorado QB for 2011. ... 3-star prospect by Scout.com and its No. 12 QB in West. ... Silver Creek lost in 3A state title game. ... HS coach Mike Apodaca: "I think his best asset is his field vision, the ability to keep his eyes downfield."

Robert Barber, DT

6-3, 290, Pago Pago, American Samoa

Faga'ltua HS

Took late visit with Washington State signee Destiny Vaeao. ... Standout cricket and rugby player. ... WSU coach Mike Leach: "A big, thick, three-technique kind of guy."

Brett Bartolone, WR

5-10, 180, LaHabra, Calif.

LaHabra HS

Helped team to four consecutive league titles. ... Caught 12 touchdown passes as sophomore. ... As a senior, caught 50 passes for eight scores and as RB, rushed for 924 yards and nine TDs. ... Also plays basketball and track. ... 3-star ESPNU pick. ... Leach: "He's very versatile. He can play backfield, slot and he can return."

David Bucannon, S

6-2, 180, Fairfield, Calif.

Vanden HS

Brother of WSU S Deone Bucannon committed to Paul Wulff staff. ... Services rated him a 3-star recruit. ... HS coach Levon Haynes says David is slightly bigger, Deone a bit faster. ... Haynes: "Deep down inside, I think he wanted the opportunity to play with his brother, something they didn't get to do in high school."

Feddie Davey, S

5-11, 190, Miami, Fla.

Norland HS

Team went 15-0, won state 5A title and finished No. 7 nationally in Powerade Fab 50. ... Coach Daryle Heidelburg said Davey also had offers from Florida International, Clemson and Illinois. ... Davey runs on Norland's 4-by-100 sprint relay team. ... Heidelburg: "He's aggressive and he's a very good tackler."

Keith Ewing, OLB

6-2, 215, Bellaire, Texas

Bellaire HS

Visited Arizona, Arkansas, Houston and WSU. ... Had 19 sacks, but projects as OLB. ... Chief recruiting contact was Jeff Choate, but former Arizona staffers Dave Emerick and Joe Salave'a knew of Ewing when Wildcats were recruiting him. ... Was first of new staff's recruits to commit. ... HS coach Trey Herrmann: "All the players and coaches know coach Leach and how good a job he did at Texas Tech. I think that was something that excited Keith about WSU."

Sam Flor, OL

6-4, 285, Seattle

O'Dea HS

Committed to former staff, and Eric Russell of new regime followed up. ... 3.73 GPA and is interested in engineering. ... Also considered Princeton and Holy Cross. ... AP 3A all-state pick. ... Must make transition from run-oriented O'Dea to pass offense. ... Flor: "I think I'm a pretty quick learner. Even though I haven't applied it at O'Dea, I've gone to plenty of camps over the summers and been taught to pass-block."

Ioane Gauta, NT

6-3, 300, Valencia, Calif.

Fullerton JC

Recruited by Leach staff, addresses WSU need on D-line. ... Has three years to play two. ... Played basketball, track and volleyball at Valencia HS. ... Captain in both HS and JC. ... Leach: "Every team he's been on, he's been a captain. He's a leader."

Alex Jackson, WR

5-10, 175, Culver City, Calif.

Culver City HS

Sprinter who ran 10.61, 21.88 and 48.35 times as a junior. ... Also visited Iowa State and considered Arizona and Arizona State. ... 99 catches for 26 TDs his final two years. ... A 4-star prospect by ESPNU. ... Chief recruiter was WR coach Dennis Simmons. ... Coach Jahmal Wright: "He's one of those guys that can take the top off a defense. Once Mike Leach got the job, that pretty much sold it for him."

Sam Jones, OL

6-6, 295, Bear, Del.

Pima JC

A surprise signee of class. ... Originally signed with North Carolina State, attended Hargrave Military Academy, went to NC State and spent 2009 season redshirting there before landing at Pima JC, where he played LT. ... Leach: "He's played some defensive line and would have the potential to do that here."

Robert Lewis, SB

5-10, 160, South Gate, Calif.

South East HS

Final choices were WSU, Southern Methodist, San Diego State, Utah and Texas Tech, and he decommitted from SMU. ... Player of the year in the region, rushed for 2,023 yards and 30 TDs. ... HS coach Derwin Henderson: "He's really the second coming in L.A. of De'Anthony Thomas of Oregon, exactly the same type of player. He's a little smaller than De'Anthony but just as fast. In the open field, he's basically impossible to defend."

Gabriel Marks, WR

5-11, 175, Los Angeles

Venice HS

Probably highest-rated player in the class, with 4-star rating by several services. ... Rivals.com rated him No. 15 prospect in state. ... HS teammate of RB Teondray Caldwell, who signed with WSU in January. ... Multiple area and regional honors. ... First committed to SMU. ... Leach: "Not only in high school, but in every all-star game, he makes plays. He's a true football player in every sense of the word."

Eduardo Middleton, OL

6-5, 290, Oceanside, Calif.

Oceanside HS

Committed to Paul Wulff's staff. ... WSU was only official visit, but visited San Diego State, Utah and Oregon State unofficially. ... Same HS produced WSU new aide Joe Salave'a. ... 3-star recruit by Rivals.com and Scout.com. ... HS coach John Carroll: "He's got a very, very big frame and I think he's still growing. He's got a huge upside."

Alex Mitchell, OL

6-2, 309, Portland

Jefferson HS

Signed with WSU a year ago after having some high-major interest but didn't qualify academically. ... Was a first-team all-state DL pick as a senior. ... Leach: "He's very mature and very physical, and when it comes to football, not afraid to get his hands dirty at all."

Kache Palacio, LB

6-2, 225, Gardena, Calif.

Junipero Serra HS

Sixteen sacks as a junior, 13.5 as a senior. ... 3-star pick by Rivals.com and Scout.com. ... Same HS as current Cougars Anthony Carpenter and Carl Winston. ... Original commit to SMU, and canceled trip to UCLA, which hired SMU aide Adrian Klemm. ... Leach: "A big, physical, run-stopper kind of guy."

Khalil Pettway, LB

6-4, 205, Culver City,Calif.

Culver City HS

Visited WSU under Wulff's staff but was uncommitted until Leach took over. ... Among three signees (Marks, Palacio) first committed to SMU. ... Played ILB in a 3-4 scheme. ... Also had offers from Arizona, NC State and West Virginia. ... Coach Jahmal Wright: "His biggest asset is, he's fast. And he's a real intelligent player. He picks up on things very well."

Niu Sale, G

6-4, 315, Los Alamitos, Calif.

L.A. Harbor JC

Blocked for John White (Utah) his first year, and for WSU signee Theron West in 2011. ... 3-star Rivals.com recruit. ... Leach: "He's one of those guys who doesn't look as big as he is. He's 315 and he looks 280."

B.J. Salmonson, OL

6-5, 285, Everson

Nooksack Valley HS

Committed to the former staff. ... Times red-chip selection. ... Took fifth in javelin at 2011 1A state meet and plays basketball. ... AP all-state pick. ... HS coach Robb Myhre: "His strength is his ability to move. That's what teams are really excited about."

Taylor Taliulu, S

5-11, 175, Aiea, Hawaii

Kamehameha HS

3-star Scout.com prospect. ... No. 10-rated player in Hawaii by ESPNU. ... Committed to Cougars, switched to Hawaii and then returned to WSU camp Monday. ... Leach: "He's one of the smoothest-running athletes I've seen. He's effortless."

Jacob Tuivaiave, DT

6-4, 250, Tacoma

Washington HS

All-SPSL at both TE and LB for Washington HS. ... AP 2A first-team all-state at LB. ... Times red-chip selection. ... Needs qualifying SAT score. ... WSU contact was LB coach Eric Russell after Tuivaiave committed under former WSU staff. ... HS coach Mike Von Rueden: "He was by far the hardest hitter in our league."

Destiny Vaeao, DE

6-3, 255, Pago Pago, American Samoa

Tafuna HS

Late pickup for Leach staff. ... Played tight end and caught eight TD passes. ... Inroad for WSU assistant Joe Salave'a as Cougars try to establish themselves in islands. ... Leach: "He's played a lot of positions well. Right now, he's playing on the defensive line."

Pierson Villarrubia, OL

6-4, 275, Mandeville, La.

Mandeville HS

Toured Northwest last summer (his mother lives in Washington), and committed to Wulff staff before new regime followed up. ... 3-star prospect by ESPNU. ... Only official visits to WSU and Florida International. ... HS coach Larry Route: "He has great feet and can really run and move. He's tenacious and gets after people."

Theron West, RB/KR

5-8, 170, Compton, Calif.

L.A. Harbor JC

Backed up Utah RB John White in 2010, then rushed for 653 yards in 2011 and became JC's career punt-return yardage leader. ... Leach: "He really jumps off the screen as a kick and punt returner. And he's one of the most confident people I've ever met."

Already enrolled

Mike Bowlin, K

6-4, 210, Aliso Viejo, Calif.

Saddleback JC

Hit 11 of 15 FGs and had 14 touchbacks in 2011 in JC. ... Bowlin redshirted at Oregon in 2009, left the following winter after he was involved in a campus brawl in which K Rob Beard suffered serious facial injuries coming to Bowlin's defense. ... Leach: "He's got a very strong leg. He can kick it through the end zone."

Teondray Caldwell, RB

5-10, 185, Los Angeles

Venice HS

Prep teammate of signee Gabriel Marks. ... Originally signed with Nevada in 2011 but didn't attend. ... Rushed for 290 yards in 2010 season opener but was then limited to eight games by an injury. ... Leach: "He's good catching the ball as well as carrying the ball. We're excited about him."

Denzell Dotson, OL

6-3, 305, Glendale, Ariz.

Cactus HS

Team lost five games in his three years of starting. ... Excelled in last half of season, says HS coach Larry Fetkenhier, when he was better than two Cactus OL alums, Ryan Nowicki of Penn State and Chris Putton of Arizona. ... Fetkenhier: "He really liked the athletic director (Bill Moos). I think the AD sold him on the school as much as the coaches did."

Rahmel Dockery, WR

5-10, 170, University Place

Curtis HS

Signed with WSU in 2011, but wasn't cleared academically in the fall. ... A 7-foot high jumper who had 1,443 yards receiving as a senior. ... Originally came down to Oregon State and WSU. ... Leach: "He can make all the catches, and he comes out of his catch quickly."

Bud Withers