Brailsford Stood Out Simply for Showing Up Early to the UW

He was the only true freshman to report in April, graduating early from high school to join spring practice.

Dan Raley | Jul 18, 2022

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Washington Huskies

Oh, how we love our comparisons, especially when it comes to University of Washington football players, especially the new recruits. We try so hard to make them work, to provide roadmaps to show what's coming.

Anthony James, the Texas edge-rusher commit, supposedly resembles Zion Tupuola-Fetui. Defensive tackle Elinneus Davis, the Minnesota pledge, plays like Levi Onwuzurike. And quarterback Lincoln Kienholz from South Dakota might be, just might be, another Jake Locker.

They're all on their way to Montlake, arriving in 2023. Shifting to someone a little more current, however, we bring you Parker Brailsford.

He set himself apart in April as the only true freshman to participate in Husky spring practice. The year before, it was Sam Huard, Kuao Peihopa, Voi Tunuufi, Caden Jumper and Caleb Berry. This time, just Brailsford.

By all accounts, the precocious offensive lineman from Arizona's reigning state-champion Saguaro High School in Scottsdale fit right in and made his UW recruitment and offer of a scholarship look like a sound one.

Photos emerged of Brailsford during winter conditioning drills pushing around a gigantic truck tire. Wearing No. 72, Roger Rosengarten's original but discarded number, he went toe to toe in drills with Rosengarten and the older guys in April and wasn't overwhelmed. He still looked totally exhausted when leaving practice at times, but he hung in there.

"I don't know if you guys think back to your senior year of high school, what that would have been like for you," said UW line coach Scott Huff, who was a four-year starter and 2002 first-team, All-WAC center for Boise State. "I know physically and mentally I wouldn't have been ready for it."

Parker Brailsford, shown clutching a smoothie after practice, graduated early from high school in Arizona to take part in UW spring football practice. He was the only true freshman to do so.

Freshman offensive lineman Parker Brailsford took part in the Huskies' 15 spring practices in April rather than remain at Saguaro High School in Mesa, Arizona, to the end of the school year.

The Huskies had some creative workout drills, with Parker Brailsford pushing a truck tire down the field in the Dempsey Center, surrounded by strength and conditioning coach Ron McKeefery and UW teammates.

Parker Brailsford, naturally strong, was ready to go head to head with older teammates during Husky spring practice. He drew high marks for his April performance.

Parker Brailsford looks spent after completing the super tire drill during winter workouts in the Dempsey Center, with Husky teammates celebrating alongside him.

Brailsford, with his compact 6-foot-2, 260-pound frame, naturally elicited some Husky comparisons along the way after everyone got a good look at him over 15 practices.

Nick Harris.

Of course, Harris is the former four-year UW starter, a two-time, first-team All-Pac-12 selection and the Cleveland Browns' projected starter at center this fall.

Harris and Brailsford? Hemming and hawing at first, considering all that the other guys has done in his football career, Huff sort of warmed to the idea.

He noted that both players were similar in physique and came from high schools that set high standards for them and left them well-coached.

Yet the Husky offensive-line coach pointed out that Brailsford already bench-presses 100 pounds more than his weight, which is a significant feat, and more than the other guy.

"Parker is stronger than Nick certainly was when he was young," Huff said.

Whereas Harris played right away, Brailsford seemingly will have more obstacles in making a similar breakthrough to become a first-year starter. He has more players standing in his way, such as redshirt freshmen Geirean Hatchett, Gaard Memmelaar and Myles Murao, all poised and ready for their first UW action, behind the projected starters.

Yet Brailsford received high marks for getting his Husky career off to an early and enthusiastice start.

"He has come in and done nothing but excel," Huff said. "The older guys love him. The younger guys love him. He's got great work ethic."

But does he have the wherewithal to emulate that former Husky turned NFL snapper? The UW can only hope.

"If we can get another Nick Harris, I'll take him," Huff said.

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Published Jul 18, 2022

DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.