⚡ CFB Dashboard

PULLMAN -- Spring ball is in the books and when it comes to the depth chart, there are still questions, and injuries have made some positions a bit less clear than others. But there are also Cougs we see as ready to be penciled in if the season started tomorrow. The opener is still five months away with the Cougs opening the season on the road at UW on Sept. 5. There’s a lot that can happen between now and then. But here is our take after watching every practice and scrimmage this spring, capped off by the Crimson and Gray game on Saturday.  Note that several players were injured at various points this spring, so what follows is our take WITH those players healthy and available. We'll also mention that with the exception of two positions, Cougfan.com whittled this down to two players, eliminating the “OR”  OFFENSE: QB: Caden Pinnick/Julian Dugger RB: Kirby Vorhees/Leo Pulalasi OR Maxwell Woods WR: Tony Freeman/Tank Hawkins WR: Daniel Blood/Branden Ganashamoorthy WR: Darrius Clemons/Jordan Dees TE: Jack Pedersen OR Trey Leckner/Beau Baker RT: Maximus McCree/Xavier Thorpe RG: Noah Dunham/Sone Falealo C: Kyle Martin/Arion Williams LG: Jonny Lester/Nick Bakken LT: Ashton Tripp/Chris Lino If Cougfan.com had to pick the starting quarterback for tomorrow, Pinnick would have the edge, and Dugger's experience gets the slightest of edges over Owen Eshelman. But there's a ways to go in this competition, with Kirby Moore not naming a starter after spring. The running back trio continued to split reps evenly, but our feeling is that Vorhees will be the lead back, with Woods and Pulalasi seeing a healthy number of carries.  Wide receiver is a little murky because of all the injuries this spring, but Freeman and Clemons are likely starters when they're healthy and Daniel Blood has earned the starting nod over Tank Hawkins, Branden Ganashamoorthy and Jordan Dees right now in our book. But we also expect all three of them will play. Leckner's return at tight end in the fall will likely cut into both Baker and Pedersen's reps, with Leckner likely to run with the ones. The way we see it, the top spot will rotate between Leckner and Pedersen, with Baker coming in for reps.  The offensive line seems largely set at five spots, with McCree securing his job with an excellent spring. Jaylin Caldwell doesn't seem likely to be back until later on in the fall, and may end up just redshirting to preserve his eligibility. WSU rotated Martin and Dunham at times, but it still seems unlikely they wind up anywhere but center and right guard, respectively. Related: Kirby Moore says no decision on WSU QB battle after spring ball DEFENSE: DE: Linus Zunk/Ben Beatty DT: Paul Hutson/Jirah Leaupepetele DT: Kaden Beatty/Damarjhe Lewis DE: Matyus McLain/Malachi Wrice LB: Keith Brown/Nylan Brown LB: DJ Warner/Isaiah Hung SS: Jeremiah Bernard/Jshawn Frausto-Ramos FS: Jaylen Thomas/Jack Bal Nickel: Jamarey Smith/Ishmael Gibbs CB: Jalil Tucker/CJ Solis-Lumar CB: Khamari Terrell/Kai Rapolla Related: Analyzing WSU's offensive position battles through six days of spring ball Zunk and McLain feel pretty close to virtual locks as the starting defensive ends, with a continuous rotation going on with the twos. But in CF.C's eyes, Wrice and Beatty will be the first two defensive ends in the rotation with Michael Hughes and Eduwa Okundaye also working in. DT is tricky because so much of the deployment will depend on situations. Lewis and Leaupepetele will likely be the run-stuffers with Beatty and Hutson as the speed rushers. But Balaam Miller, Ike Okafor and Akio Martinson will all likely get some run too. Warner appears to have a stranglehold at one linebacker position with Keith Brown emerging as the starter at the other. Nylan Brown and Isaiah Hung will likely play significant roles as well, with both performing smartly this spring. At corner, Tucker, Terrell, and Smith had all been with the ones on days they were healthy — we see Smith as the No. 1 nickelback — with Gibbs and Solis-Lumar consistently with the twos at corner. Rapolla and Elmo Wartson rotated at the other cornerback spot, but we're giving Rapolla the edge as the backup.  Safety will be interesting, especially once Kyle Peterson gets back healthy. There's a whole lot of intriguing playmakers at that position. Thomas and Bernard appear to be in prime position to start, but we'll probably see Bal, Frausto-Ramos, and Peterson in significant roles. WSU WR Branden Ganashamoorthy celebrates touchdown in spring game (Photo: Cougfan.com/Whittney Thornton)