WSU reels in commitment from JUCO DB Willie Breland, bringing class of 2026 to 21 members

PORTLAND – Washington State keeps heating up in the recruiting department.

The Cougars’ latest commitment comes from junior college defensive back Willie Breland Jr., a three-star prospect who announced his decision Friday morning, becoming the 21st member of WSU’s class of 2026. Listed at 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, Breland has spent each of the past two years at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.

According to 247Sports, Breland is the 29th-best JUCO prospect in Mississippi, the seventh-best cornerback in that group and overall, the 75th-best junior college prospect in the country.

Breland turned down offers from Eastern Michigan and four FCS schools to join the Cougars’ class of 2026, which now has five JUCO players, the most in recent memory at WSU. Breland also makes the sixth defensive back in the class, perhaps signaling the priority coach Jimmy Rogers and assistants are placing on shoring up their secondary of the future.

In nine games this fall, Breland has totaled 26 tackles and one interception. As a freshman last year, he played in all 10 games and recorded three solo tackles, seven assists and 0.5 tackles for loss. Breland hails from Wiggins, Mississippi, a small town of about 4,000.

Breland’s other offers came from Central Arkansas, Nicholls, Stephen F. Austin and UTRGV, all of the FCS ranks. He took his official visit to WSU last weekend, when the Cougars took down Toledo, and committed less than a week later.

The Cougars’ updated class of 2026:

• 3-star CB Willie Breland (Mississippi Gulf Coast, Perkinston, Miss.)

• 3-star S Jarvse Dickerson (Brazos, Wallis, Texas).

• CB Bryce Heckard (City College of San Francisco, San Francisco, Calif).

• RB CJ Toney (Atascocita, Humble, Texas)

• RB Daniel Swinney (Iowa Western CC, Council Bluffs, Iowa).

• DL Andy Burburija (Iowa Western CC, Council Bluffs, Iowa).

• Three-star OL Ashton Mozone (Iowa Western CC, Council Bluffs, Iowa).

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

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

• Three-star S Matthew McClain (Prestonwood Christian, Plano, Texas).

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

• Three-star OL Beckett Schreiber (Memorial, Madison, Wisconsin).

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

• Three-star CB Kameron Hurst (Lift For Life, St. Louis).

• Three-star edge Jacob Lopez-Veasey (San Antonio).

• 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 OL Cooper Daines (Spokane).

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

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