Ranking the Top Five Incoming Offensive Transfers for WSU

Can these new pieces make an instant impact for Kirby Moore?

Sep 6, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; UC Davis Aggies quarterback Caden Pinnick (12) passes against the Washington Huskies during the first quarter at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

The dust has settled on the early transfer and signing period for college football teams around the country and, as odd as it might sound, Spring ball is quickly approaching. For Washington State it was quite a haul in the portal last month. The Cougars brought in 28 standouts from different schools to bolster their roster. Of those 28 just nine are on the offensive side of the ball but most, if not all, of them look to be key pieces moving forward. These five, however, are the biggest gets of the offseason so far:

5. OT Kalolo Ta'aga

The Cougs beefed up their offensive line by going after tackle Kalolo Ta'aga from Utah. Ta'aga stands at 6'7" and weighs 325 pounds so size will certainly not be an issue. He will look to fill the void left by the graduated Christian Hilborn who started at right tackle for Washington State last season. Right tackle is also the position Ta'aga played primarily with the Utes last year as a redshirt freshman in the limited action he saw. He got only 16 snaps but did see some special teams time as well. Ta'aga may not start right away this fall but he will provide some always-needed depth up front.

4. TE Jack Pedersen

Oct 12, 2024; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins tight end Jack Pedersen (28) catches a pass against the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the first quarter at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Redshirt senior Jack Pedersen decided to close out his college career with the Cougars and he'll likely be a significant addition to an offense (and specifically a passing game) that is getting a makeover this year. Pedersen comes in from UCLA where he caught 11 passes last year for 72 yards. He will link up with junior Trey Leckner in the tight ends room and the two of them could make that position as strong as it's been in a while for WSU. Pedersen is tall and has good hands but knows how to block too. With an offensive-minded Kirby Moore calling the shots now, it will be interesting to see how that duo gets used this season.

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MORE: Kalolo Ta'aga Joins Cougars O-Line from Utah

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3. WR Daniel Blood

Nov 8, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers wide receiver Daniel Blood (10) goes into motion prior to the snap during the first half against the Texas A&M Aggies at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

A glaring need during the early portal cycle for Washington State was at receiver and the team addressed that by adding three pass catchers. One of the more notable ones they snagged was ex-Missouri Tiger Daniel Blood. Blood, who will be a senior in 2026, comes to Pullman with some solid experience under his belt. He played in 35 games for Missouri over the past three seasons but never saw a ton of targets. Blood caught just 14 passes in that span for 138 yards. Now with a Cougars unit that said goodbye to a handful of standouts at that spot, however, Blood should get on the field plenty this season and will likely see his numbers go up.

2. WR Tank Hawkins

Oct 5, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators wide receiver Tank Hawkins (10) runs with the ball against the UCF Knights during the first half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

The Cougars receiving corps could be scary in 2026 and the addition of former Florida pass-catcher Tank Hawkins will be a big reason why. Hawkins was a consensus four-star recruit coming out of IMG Academy in high school largely because of his sheer speed. He's parlayed a decorated track background to college football. With the Gators, Hawkins didn't see a ton of field time in 2024 and 2025 but he did still appear in 11 games, catching a dozen passes for 116 total yards. This will be his junior season as he joins a WSU receivers room that needs help filling the hole left by Joshua Meredith and Devin Ellison. Odds are he'll be an impact player sooner rather than later.

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MORE: What New Washington State Corner CJ Solis-Lumar Brings To The Cougs Defense

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1. QB Caden Pinnick

UC Davis Aggies quarterback Caden Pinnick (12) throws the ball as Mercer Bears take on UC Davis Aggies during the FCS Kickoff Game at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Ala. on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Arguably the most important guy Moore and his staff snagged during the early portal cycle was former UC Davis signal caller Caden Pinnick. Pinnick was a standout last season as a freshman for the Aggies at the FCS level, passing for 3,206 yards and 32 touchdowns. On top of that he ran for another 437 yards and three scores. Pinnick picked up a handful of accolades including Big Sky Conference Freshman of the Year honors and FCS Freshman All-American recognition. He'll bring an elusiveness to the quarterback position that Washington State has been lacking in recent years and should, at the very least, be competing for the starting job by this fall in the light of Zevi Eckhaus' departure.

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