A Big Deal: Kalepo Might Be the Best of UW's Young O-Linemen
Nate Kalepo is the guy in the back of the photo, standing directly behind the Apple Cup trophy, waiting his turn to directly share in the spoils.
Of the University of Washington's young Triple Towers bidding for time on the offensive line -- Ulumoo Ale, Julius Buelow and Kalepo -- he's not the tallest (Buelow) nor is he the heaviest (Ale).
Kalepo, however, might be the most athletic of these yearling road-graders, the most aggressive, if not the best of this bunch.
As the Huskies bid farewell to accomplished All-Pac-12 performers such as Trey Adams, Kaleb McGary and Nick Harris in recent seasons, they've been gradually adding super-sized replacement parts.
If all of these expansive new guys pan out, the UW could have one of the largest college front lines ever assembled. Certainly the biggest put together in Seattle.
USC once presented an O-line so big, it was said in a self-assured manner that when those Trojans stood up, they could see Denver.
For these Huskies, they might have an unobstructed view of Chicago or New York. No binoculars or telescopes needed. They're enormous.
Kalepo, a redshirt freshman tackle from Seattle, stands 6-foot-6 and 342 pounds; Ale, a sophomore guard from Fife, Washington, but way of Australia, goes 6-6 and 352; and Buelow, another redshirt freshman tackle from Hawaii, stretches out to 6-8 and 330 pounds.
Then throw in a "little guy" such as Henry Bainivalu, a junior guard from Seattle's suburbs who checks in at 6-6 and a mere 320 pounds, and UW coach Jimmy Lake might have to apply for a building permit and submit architectural plans in piecing together his future line.
"That's a lot of young talent that needs to be developed,'" Husky offensive-line coach Scott Huff said.
This is another in a series of profiles on prospective UW football starters. While spring practice has been canceled or postponed because of the pandemic, Husky Maven/Sports Illustrated continues to provide uninterrupted coverage.
Kalepo was the most heavily recruited of his UW peers, a four-star player coming out of Rainier Beach High School with nearly two dozen offers. Only the Bay Area schools didn't offer him among Pac-12 members.
One football recruiting service listed him as Washington state's No. 1 recruit and the country's ninth-best offensive tackle in the 2019 class.
"The thing I like about football is how physical it is," Kalepo told youth1.com. "It's something where you can take out your frustrations in a positive way. Football has taught me not to settle for just being average."
The youngster of Samoan ancestry also has the added advantage of proven family genes as he attempts to make his way through the depth chart. He and UW linebacker Alphonzo Tuputala count former Huskies All-American and current NFL defensive tackle Danny Shelton as their cousin. They use him as a role model.
Shelton, no physical slouch himself at 6-2 and 345 pounds, has an impressive pro football track record. He originally went to the Cleveland Browns as a first-round draft pick and played three seasons, spent two years with the New England Patriots and made it to the Super Bowl, and recently was rewarded with a two-year, $8-million contract with the Detroit Lions as a free agent.
Kalepo ended up with Shelton's 2011 UW Alamo Bowl jersey, which he considers a prized keepsake. A good motivator. A reminder.
"I used to wear that jersey to his games all the time," Kalepo told 247 Sports when he signed with the UW. "It's crazy that I'll be wearing the same jersey, but now I'll have my name on it."
Who knows what he'll see when he stands up at Husky Stadium.
SUMMARY: Kalepo had his requisite year in the weight room, building college-level strength. He's put in the preliminary work. Now it's time to play.
GRADE (1 to 5): He gets a opening 3, all based on reputation. The Huskies didn't let him step on the field in his first season, but they put him in a uniform and listed him as the backup at left tackle for the Las Vegas Bowl just in case. No doubt they were looking for every excuse to play him.
