Inside The Huskies

New Dawg Report: Vincent Holmes

What are the Huskies getting in the speedy California safety?

Roman Tomashoff

In this story:

When Vincent Holmes arrived at Washington for his official visit in June, he had no intention of committing. By day two, the Huskies had made such an impression on the four-star safety, that he committed on the spot.

“I had a great trip though and it just felt right. Everything felt right to me, Washington felt like home right away. After talking with my family about it, I knew it was the right spot so I jumped on it,” Holmes said in an interview with 247 Sports' Greg Biggins.

The Huskies are getting an exciting player in the 6-foot, 180-pound prospect from San Jacinto High School. While he's listed as an athlete, he was recruited as a safety and has the athletic potential to turn into one of the best defensive backs in the country.

With a frame that can easily put on 20-25 pounds of muscle, Holmes' best trait is his elite speed. If he can retain that speed as he gains weight, his ceiling is sky-high. Since he also possesses knowledge of the receiver position, he could easily transition to cornerback if need be, but his tape screams safety.

When it comes to ball recognition and range, there are few players better than Holmes. He quickly identifies the ball in the air and breaks on it in a flash. His background as a wide receiver also shows elite ball skills, as he totaled 59 catches for 1,169 yards and 13 touchdowns on offense during his senior season.

Before he hits the field, Holmes is going to have to get up to an appropriate weight to play at the college level. That will probably result in the utilization of his redshirt in 2023, especially considering there are a lot of equally exciting players in front of him at the safety position. 

If he can show up to camp in 2024 at 190-195 pounds, while retaining his elite speed, he's going to contend for a starting spot as a redshirt freshman. As he continues to grow and add to his game, Holmes could become one of the best players in the stellar class of 2023.

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Roman Tomashoff
ROMAN TOMASHOFF

I've followed the Huskies for my entire life, and to be in a position where I get to cover them full-time is nothing short of an honor. After graduating from Lasell University in 2019, I moved to Seattle to pursue my dream of working in sports media. While writing for the Husky Haul, I also covered local sports for the Everett Daily Herald before the COVID-19 pandemic. After being hired by Realdawg.com in February of 2021, I also transitioned into doing a lot of entertainment writing, as I work on a variety of magazines as a contributing writer for Centennial Media, and have also contributed to Emmy Magazine, as well as Walt Disney Television Studios. 

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