The Cougars didn't quite make the splash on signing day 2011 that they had in the previous two years.

In 2009, Washington State could crow about making some hefty inroads into talent from the Seattle area, taking advantage of some disarray at rival Washington at the time. Last year, the Cougars pulled some signing day surprises, notably yanking linebacker C.J. Mizell out of Florida.

The 2011 class, meanwhile, was marked by some heavy late defections of key commits to other schools, as well as a heavy focus on junior college linemen -- something coach Paul Wulff had vowed to get away from. Dipping largely unsuccessfully into the junior college ranks helped get his predecessor, Bill Doba, in trouble.

Washington State signed five junior college offensive linemen, and Wulff said it was largely to prepare for 2012, when the Cougars could have some holes up front.

He also mostly dismissed the attention on some of the ones that got away -- notably, four-star running back Bishop Sankey of nearby Spokane, who made a late defection to Washington, and defensive lineman Stephan Nembot of Van Nuys, Calif., who ended up at Colorado.

Wulff, however, admitted that his tenuous status -- five wins in three years and inclusion on the hot seat for 2011 -- may not have helped.

"It is something you had to overcome," he said. "Particularly when all the other schools were trying to use that against you."

The Cougars signed 25 players overall, 20 high schoolers and the five JC offensive linemen.

And while Wulff said, "Overall, it's a very good class," he seemed to stop short of proclaiming it among the best in school history, as he had last year.

Highlights included linebacker Logan Mayes of Eugene, Ore., son of former Washington State running back Rueben Mayes and the Oregon state 5A Defensive Player of the Year, who resisted calls from other schools and signed with the Cougars; and four-star linebacker Chester Sua of Pearl City, Hawaii.

Another intriguing name is defensive tackle David Davis of Palos Verdes, Calif., grandson of Green Bay Packer legend Willie Davis.

And Washington State also got one big win on signing day in receiver/returner Rahmel Dockery of Curtis High in Tacoma, Wash. Dockery seemed to be waiting for an offer from Washington, which never came, so he chose Washington State over Oregon State on signing day.

TOP OF THE CLASS

QB Cody Clements (La Habra, Calif., High) -- He threw for 32 touchdowns and just one interception and is said to have one of the stronger arms of prospects on the West. He figures to redshirt, but coach Paul Wulff said Clements could be a hidden gem.

WR Rahmel Dockery (Curtis High, Tacoma, Wash.) -- One of the most electrifying players in the state of Washington, his size (5-foot-10, 170 pounds) may have scared off some bigger schools. He chose Washington State over Oregon State, and he could factor into the return game immediately.

LB Logan Mayes (Marist High, Eugene, Ore.) -- The son of former Washington State great Rueben Mayes, a running back from 1982-85, was rated by one service the No. 4 prospect in the state of Oregon but chose to bypass the local colleges to follow in his father's footsteps.

LB Chester Sua (Kaimuki High, Pearl City, Hawaii) -- A four-star product and one of the top prospects in the state of Hawaii this year. A standout prep running back, but he will play linebacker for the Cougars.

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