No New Commits Since July, But Huskies Retain SI AA Top 25 Ranking

The UW holds verbal pledges from 19 recruits in six states so far.

The University of Washington football team will need to win a few more games before it can show whether or not it's worthy of inclusion in the national polls again. Yet the Huskies are doing just fine in the recruiting rankings.

The SI All-American Top 25, as compiled by the hard-working John Garcia Jr., has the Huskies slotted 22nd in its latest listing, even with no new UW commitments since July 27, after reaching 17th on August 1.

New Husky coach Kalen DeBoer and his staff hold oral pledges from 19 players from six states, including five offensive linemen and four defensive backs, as duly noted in Garcia's latest assessment of the UW:

"No new Huskies on board of late in the class of 2023, but not one on board at any point has decommitted. Strong positional groups in the secondary and along the offensive front are the foundation of Kalen DeBoer’s first full recruiting class."

Garcia's rankings, which can be accessed here, mirror the current state of the college football landscape with eight SEC teams or soon-to-be league members showing up in the SI AA Top 25, including in five of the first 10 spots.

USC and Oregon from the Pac-12, at least for now, both turn up inside the top 13.

The Huskies' latest recruiting commitment came at the end of July from offensive lineman Kahlee Tafai, a 6-foot-6, 307-pounder from Leuzinger High School in Lawndale, Calif.

With the UW season in play, DeBoer's coaching staff has turned much of its focus to its 12-game schedule, but it could still add another recruit or more.

Thirty minutes before the season-opening kickoff last weekend against Kent State, the Husky head coach stood on the field chatting up a pair of recruits as his current players warmed up around them.

"We could take another couple in my mind, I guess, but it's not like we're pushing hard," DeBoer said before the opener. "We're really trying to do a good job in being thorough to find those difference-makers, though I don't want to say hidden gems or anything. 

"There's probably some guys out there who are going to have great seasons and we can follow along with [them] and pull the trigger on it at some point whether it be offer or really push over the hump to get them committed."

 

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2023 HUSKY COMMITMENTS

1, Deven Bryant, LB, 6-0, 216, Bellflower, Calif. (St. John Bosco)

2. Leroy Bryant, CB, 6-0, 175, Fairfield, Calif. (Rodriguez)

3. Elinneus Davis, DL, 6-3, 295, Moorhead, Minn. (Moorhead)

4. Soane Faasolo, OL, 6-8, 270, Menlo, Calif. (Menlo-Atherton)

5. Diesel Gordon; CB, 6-1, 179, Arlington, Texas (Sequin)

6. Landon Hatchett, OL, 6-3, 292, Ferndale, Wash. (Ferndale)

7. Zach Henning OL, 6-6, 275, Aurora, Calif. (Grandview)

8. Vincent Holmes, S, 6-1, 175, San Jacinto, Calif. (San Jacinto)

9. Elishah Jackett, OL, 6-7, 280, Orange, Calif. (El Modena)

10. Anthony James II, ER, 6-5, 265, Wylie, Texas (East Wylie)

11. Lincoln Kienholz, QB, 6-3, 185, Pierre, S.D. (Riggs)

12. Jacob Lane, ER, 6-5, 230, Puyallup, Wash. (Emerald Ridge)

13. Sua Lefotu, DL, 6-4, 305, Bellflower, Calif. (St. John Bosco)

14. Curley Reed, CB, 6-1, 180, Lake Charles, La. (Lake Charles)

15. Keith Reynolds, WR, 5-9, 170, Adelanto, Calif. (Adelanto)

16. Tybo Rogers; RB, 5-11, 180, Bakersfield, Calif. (Bakersfield)

17. Kahlee Tafai, OL, 6-6, 307, Lawndale, Calif. (Leuzinger)

18. Jordan Whitney, LB, 6-2, 215, Oxnard, Calif. (Pacifica)

19. Rashid Williams, WR, 6-2, 185, Pittsburg, Calif. (Pittsburg)

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