Three transfer receivers commit to Washington State

PULLMAN – Washington State restocked its receiving corps, securing commitments from three Division I transfer pass-catchers who played significant roles at their previous stops.

Former UNLV standout Kyle Williams and Josh Kelly, a big-play threat at Fresno State over the past three years, both pledged to WSU’s football program at noon Saturday. A few hours later, the Cougs received a commitment from another veteran receiver in Isaiah Hamilton, who spent the past five years at San Jose State.

WSU shored up a shorthanded position group just one day after announcing the hiring of new offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, who led Western Kentucky to a highly productive season in 2022.

Williams, Kelly and Hamilton, considering their experience and production, should be expected to contend for first-team responsibilities next year in Arbuckle’s modified version of the Air Raid.

Williams registered 1,568 yards and nine touchdowns on 117 receptions across 25 games over the past three seasons.

A graduate of St. Monica Catholic High in California, Williams broke into the Rebels’ starting lineup as a true freshman in 2020. He earned the Mountain West Conference’s freshman of the year award after leading his team with 426 yards and two touchdowns on 35 receptions during the six-game campaign. Williams was also named a second team freshman All-American by the Athletic.

The 6-foot, 185-pounder finished second on the team in 2021 with 601 yards and two scores on 41 catches, including a season-long 75-yard reception. He logged 541 yards and a team-leading five touchdowns on 40 grabs in nine games this past season. Williams missed three games due to an ankle injury.

Williams, who has two seasons of eligibility remaining, chose WSU over reported offers from Colorado, Pitt and Cal.

Kelly accumulated 1,315 yards and four touchdowns on 86 receptions over the past three years with the Bulldogs.

Kelly took a redshirt at Fresno State in 2019 after wrapping up his prep career at nearby San Joaquin Memorial High. He captured a starting job ahead of the 2020 season and finished the year as the Bulldogs’ third-most productive receiver with 330 yards and a TD on 22 catches.

The 6-1, 185-pounder became the Bulldogs’ No. 2 pass-catcher in 2021 and brought home an All-Mountain West honorable mention nod after recording 778 yards and three scores on 52 catches. Kelly dealt with injury issues this season and was limited to six games, during which he gained 207 yards.

He will provide a deep-ball target for WSU quarterback Cameron Ward. Kelly had four catches of 60-plus yards over the past three years.

Kelly entered the NCAA transfer portal Dec. 14 – three days before Fresno State beat WSU 29-6 in the LA Bowl. He picked up offers from Kansas, San Diego State and Nevada, among others. Kelly is eligible to play two more collegiate seasons.

Hamilton, a grad transfer with one year of eligibility remaining, piled up 1,566 yards and 10 touchdowns on 98 receptions over 39 games between 2019-22 at San Jose State.

The 5-foot-11, 180-pound speedster was limited this season due to an injury, according to 247Sports, but shined in the Spartans’ postseason game. Hamilton set a career high with 137 yards and a TD on five catches in San Jose State’s 41-27 loss to Eastern Michigan on Dec. 20 in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. He entered the NCAA transfer portal two days later. He picked WSU over offers from UConn, North Texas and Wyoming.

Hamilton joined San Jose State in 2018 out of Charter Oak High in Covina, California. He claimed a starting spot as a redshirt freshman in 2019 and led the Spartans with 16.7 yards per catch that season, totaling 718 yards and four TDs on the year.

He couldn’t sustain his high level of production during the 2020 and ‘21 seasons, recording 620 yards and four TDs in 19 games. Hamilton was in and out of the lineup this season, but returned to form in his San Jose State finale. He finished the year with 228 yards and two TDs on 11 catches in six games.

WSU was in need of receiving options after losing four key pass-catchers following the 2022 season – slotbacks Renard Bell and Robert Ferrel graduated, and outside receivers De’Zhaun Stribling and Donovan Ollie transferred out of the program. Reserve outside receivers CJ Moore and Anderson Grover also entered the transfer portal.

The Cougars added three receivers during the NCAA’s early signing period last month, including a juco prospect with intriguing potential in slot receiver DT Sheffield.

Returning pass-catchers of note include Leyton Smithson, Orion Peters, Lincoln Victor and Tsion Nunnally. Smithson, from Bellingham, started six games last year during his true freshman season and tallied 235 yards and two touchdowns. Peters played sparingly as a redshirt freshman in 2022 and finished with 138 yards. Victor came into the season as a starting slot receiver, but lost his first-team job early in the season and ended up with 245 yards off the bench. Nunnally saw some time as a redshirt freshman reserve and came up with 70 yards.