UW's Molden: He's the Leader of the Defense Now

His first two Washington seasons didn't match the cornerback's expectations

Elijah Molden waited his turn to become a cornerback headliner for the Washington Huskies and admittedly it was tough at times. But worth it. It's his defense now.

Molden and senior center Nick Harris are the UW's most decorated players this season, both turning up on multiple All-Pac-12 teams as first-unit selections each time.

For Harris, this is nothing new. These personal accolades match what he did during his junior season. He's down to one Huskies game. 

Molden, however, has experienced a significant football breakthrough in his junior season, though it's come later than he expected. Maybe a lot later. 

"It's really humbling because last year and my freshman year, those weren't like realizing my goals," he said. "I didn't see it panning out the way I wanted it to." 

Molden was hardly a bust. As a sophomore, he played in every UW outing, starting two games at cornerback. He was picked second-team All-Pac-12, largely based on his special-teams performance.

As a freshman, Molden played in every game, again enlivening the Huskies special teams with his aggressive play.

He simply got caught playing behind Byron Murphy and Jordan Miller, now NFL cornerbacks 

Given more of an opportunity to show what he can do, Molden became a nonstop playmaker. He tops all Huskies in tackles with 70 by a wide margin, and he shares the interception lead with freshman safety Cam Williams; both have 3. 

Molden will be recognized as the leader of the UW defense in 2020. As the son of retired NFL cornerback Alex Molden, who played eight seasons for the New Orleans Saints, the San Diego Chargers and the Detroit Lions, the younger Molden has impressed pro football scouts with his ability to see the field, anticipate what's coming and make a determined move. 

His goal-line interception against USC, shown here, was a perfect example of the Husky cornerback's field awareness.

"I was really impressed by Molden this year," NFL draft analyst Rob Rang said. "He has the ability to make plays and attack. He sees it develop. He goes and gets it. That demeanor is a valuable tool to have in football."

Rang said the Huskies cornerback was particularly impressive in his coverage against Oregon's NFL-bound quarterback Justin Herbert. 

Molden, who hails from West Linn, Oregon, had another big moment with a well-anticipated pick against the Oregon State Beavers, as shown in this video.

Molden envisions a future UW defense that will dominate play far more than it has this season. Players in new roles as starters made big strides. He was one of them. Everyone noticed, too. 

"I'm finally getting recognized," Molden said. "It's great to have my peers respect my game."