WSU boosts depth in secondary with addition of S Duhron Goodman, plus updates on Cougs’ roster

PULLMAN – Washington State may be in a good spot in the secondary, but the Cougars are also making depth a priority.

They signaled as much on Thursday, adding junior college transfer safety Duhron Goodman, as announced by the program on social media. Goodman started his career at FCS Portland State before playing last season at College of the Canyons (California), giving him two years of eligibility at WSU.

Listed at 6-foot and 185 pounds, Goodman turned down offers from UTEP and UMass, as well as FCS clubs Cal Poly, Texas Southern, Robert Morris and Sam Houston. He gives the Cougars their 13th addition of the spring, including their fifth on defense and second in the secondary.

Last season at College of the Canyons, Goodman totaled 36 tackles (25 solo), four pass breakups and one interception in 10 games, helping the Cougars go 8-3 . Goodman also forced two fumbles and recovered one.

Goodman, who posted on social media that he took his official visit to WSU on Tuesday, played nine games at Portland State, including two starts at nickelback. (He missed two games with an injury.)

He played 161 snaps on defense, according to Pro Football Focus, including a season-high 50 in a win over Northern Arizona. He picked off a pass in that game.

For his one-season stop at PSU, Goodman had 14 tackles (three for loss), two pass breakups and one interception.

A native of Santa Clarita, California, Goodman joins a crowded group of safeties at WSU. The Cougars will likely start veterans Tucker Large and Matt Durrance, both of whom took first-team reps throughout last month’s spring practices, and fellow veteran safety Cale Reeder will also play many snaps.

That trio followed coach Jimmy Rogers from South Dakota State to WSU, and it’s clear he trusts those guys.

The Cougars’ safety corps also includes redshirt freshmen Kayo Patu and Trey Ridley, both of whom figure to compete for starting spots in 2026 and beyond. That might be where Goodman fits in – but with his experience, it’s possible he makes a splash sooner than later.

As WSU tries to make the most of incoming roster limits of 105 players, the timing of which is unclear based on recent House v. NCAA case developments, the Cougars are nearing their complete roster for next season. Since the end of spring ball, 25 players have entered the portal, many of whom projected as backups and/or players who didn’t figure to see the playing time they would like.

But in that group, WSU also bid farewell to power running back Djouvensky Schlenbaker and promising freshman safeties Aiden Knapke and Hunter Haines.

The latter two looked ready to make an impact relatively soon.

The most recent WSU player to depart is cornerback Kamani Jackson, a program spokesperson confirmed to the Spokesman-Review on Thursday and first reported by 247Sports.com.

Jackson redshirted his true freshman season last fall, never seeing the field, but he appeared to be a promising part of their future on defense.

On Washington State’s summer football roster, which was released this week, 75 players are listed, well under the limit of 105. But that doesn’t include any of the Cougars’ 13 spring commitments or many of their class of 2025 incoming freshmen, which numbers 25. WSU has also secured a commitment from junior college transfer tight end Jesiah Cornwell.

Those numbers add up to 113 – eight over the limit of 105. If the roster limits hold up in the House v. NCAA settlement, which would go into effect on July 1, the Cougars would have more moves to make to get under the limit.

But earlier this month, California judge Claudia Wilken said she would like current athletes to be “grandfathered in” to the roster limits, meaning players who were on the roster before limits were introduced can stay, potentially allowing teams to exceed 105 roster spots.

The case has yet to be settled, though, putting coaches and GMs across the country in a sort of limbo.