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WSU adds edge rusher Jacob Lopez-Veasey, three others to class of 2026, which hits double digits

 (Connor Vanderweyst)

PULLMAN – Washington State’s class of 2026 has officially reached double figures.

The Cougars’ newest members include edge rusher Jacob Lopez-Veasey, whose commitment was announced Sunday by his father, Alfio, on social media. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, Lopez-Veasey took his official visit to WSU this weekend and capped it off with a pledge.

Lopez-Veasey, who does not have a star rating on recruiting services, also held offers from UTEP, UTSA, Arkansas State, North Texas, Texas State, Sam Houston and FCS Cornell. His visit to Pullman was his second visit, alongside his visit to UTSA.

As a junior last fall at Sandra Day O’Connor High School, a 6A school in the suburbs of San Antonio, Texas, Lopez-Veasey totaled 39 tackles (nine for loss), four sacks, two forced fumbles and one safety, helping his club go 4-6 on the season.

Lopez-Veasey is the third edge rusher in WSU’s class of 2026, signaling coaches are prioritizing the Cougs’ pass rush of the future. The others include three-star prospects JaVon Joseph and Tyler Burnstein, both of whom announced their commitments this month.

Later on Sunday, the Cougars earned three more commitments, two from players in the secondary and one on offense: Safety Kaden Olson (Texas) and cornerback Kameron Hurst (Missouri), and tight end Luke Galer, a California native. They make the 11th, 12th and 13th members of WSU’s class of 2026. Galer is a three-star recruit, while neither Olson nor Hurst have star ratings on recruiting services.

A native of the Dallas area, Olson was one of a slew of prospects to visit WSU this weekend, making his commitment official afterwards. Out of 6A Northwest High in Justin, Texas, Olson also held offers from New Mexico, UTEP, Wyoming, Sam Houston and Navy, plus FCS Houston Christian and Stephen F. Austin and Division II Central State.

Olson will give WSU a speedy option in the open field, where he’ll be able to use his 4.53 40-yard dash — which he clocked at a camp in Texas earlier this month — to track down throws. Olson is the second safety in the class, joining South Dakota native Bradley Esser, himself a three-star prospect. That should give the Cougars some solid coverage down the field.

Olson’s relationship with WSU came together relatively quickly. At the DFW Showcase at TCU’s football stadium in Fort Worth in early June, Olson met three WSU coaches: Safeties coach Pete Menage, cornerbacks coach Mike Banks and tight ends coach/recruiting coordinator Chris Meyers, who made enough of an impression on Olson to set up his official visit. Some 10 days later, he’s a Coug.

For his part, Hurst also made his commitment after his official visit this weekend, making the trip of his hometown of St. Louis. Out of Lift For Life Academy, a charter school in the heart of the city, Hurst also held offers from nine FCS schools, including Sacramento State, South Dakota State, Northern Iowa, Missouri State, Southeast Missouri State and Southern Illinois, all of which have made the FCS playoffs in the last five years.

As a junior last fall, Hurst logged 27 tackles (17 solo, two for loss) and five interceptions for Lift For Life, which went 8-6 on the year. Hurst’s foundation is his blazing speed, which he used to win two district titles in track and field this spring, taking home championships in the 110-meter high hurdles and 300-meter intermediate hurdles.

To become a Cougar, the 6-foot-6 Galer had to de-commit from FCS Sacramento State, which he did in mid-January, about a week after committing to the Hornets. He held nine other offers, including ones from San Diego State, UNLV, Fresno State, New Mexico and New Mexico State, as well as FCS outfits Montana, Cal Poly, Northern Arizona and Portland State. After his official visit to Pullman this weekend, Galer finalized his commitment to WSU.

As a junior last year at Del Oro High in Sacramento-area Loomis, California, Galer made 21 receptions for 309 yards and one touchdown, with a long reception of 64 yards. 

Taken together, these additions reinforce an emerging theme for WSU and its new coaching staff: The Cougars are using their Midwest roots, many of them coming over with head coach Jimmy Rogers from South Dakota State, to leave a footprint in the area. In WSU’s high school class of 2025 (incoming freshmen this fall), four players each come from Minnesota, Missouri and Illinois and one each from Iowa, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Kansas.

The Cougars’ updated class of 2026 is below.

• Three-star QB Hudson Kurland (Lake Oswego, Lake Oswego, Oregon).

• Three-star edge JaVon Joseph (Oak Ridge, El Dorado Hills, California).

• Three-star WR Hudson Lewis (Timberline, Boise, Idaho).

• Three-star TE Luke Galer (Del Oro, Loomis, California).

• Three-star TE Drew Byrd (Rocky Mountain, Meridian, Idaho).

• Safety Kaden Olson (Northwest, Justin, Texas).

• Cornerback Kameron Hurst (Lift For Life, St. Louis, Missouri).

• Edge Jacob Lopez-Veasey (San Antonio, Texas).

• Three-star edge Tyler Burnstein (Liberty, Peoria, Arizona).

• Three-star S Bradley Esser (Harrisburg, Harrisburg, South Dakota).

• Three-star OL Kingston Fotualii (O’Dea, Seattle).

• Three-star DL Jake Jones (Campo Verde, Gilbert, Arizona).

• Three-star ATH Landon Kalsbeck (Dakota Ridge, Littleton, Colorado).