Washington State Flips Safety Jayden Harris From Fresno State
Earning a significant victory on the recruiting trail, the Washington State Cougars added another piece to their growing 2027 class, landing the commitment of Jayden Harris after he initially gave a verbal to a soon-to-be Pac-12 rival.
Harris, a 6-3, 180-pound safety from Manteca High School, originally committed to Fresno State, but he reopened his recruitment and ultimately chose to switch his allegiance to Washington State. His commitment to the Cougars continues a strong recruiting push for coach Kirby Moore’s program in California and gives the staff another intriguing defensive back with size and playmaking ability to throw into the mix.
Harris is currently an unranked prospect according to 247Sports, but in addition to Washington State, he held offers from UNLV, San Diego State, and several other programs, showing there was plenty of interest in one of the bigger safety recruits in the 2027 class. Once he became available again, the Cougars were able to beat out a number of West Coast schools to secure his commitment.
For Washington State, Harris becomes the 20th commitment in the 2027 class and the 12th player from California. That number stands out because it highlights how heavily the Cougars have leaned into recruiting the Golden State during the first full recruiting cycle under Moore. California has long been an important pipeline for the program, and this class continues that trend.
Harris is also the third defensive back committed to Washington State in this cycle. He has the length that many programs covet at safety, and his frame suggests there is room to continue adding strength as he develops, potentially even putting him in the discussion to slide up to linebacker down the line.
What makes Harris especially intriguing is his production on the field. During his junior season, he recorded 63 tackles, including eight tackles for loss, while also intercepting nine passes. Those numbers illustrate a player who impacts games in multiple ways in the box as well as in coveage. His performance earned him league Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Harris brings size, versatility, and elite junior-season production to a secondary that is continuing to add talent. His decision to flip from Fresno State to Washington State is another sign that the Cougars are building momentum on the recruiting trail, particularly in California. With 20 commitments from the 2026 class already committed, it will be interesting to see how many more high school commitments the Cougars add between now and December's signing day.
With the transfer portal continuing to create uncertainty across college football, roster turnover is inevitable, but the Cougars appear to be trying to counter that movement by targeting high school recruits. That's why Washington State's strong start on the recruiting trail could prove to be especially important. As of late June, the Cougars have already built a deep 2027 recruiting class, and it will bear watching to see how much Moore and his staff continue to rely on high school talent to build both their 2027 roster and the program's long-term depth.
