Ranking the Husky Cornerbacks Assembled After Adding 5 New Ones

We look at 11 potential candidates for the two starting jobs.

When the University of Washington football team played struggling Arizona State in early October, the Huskies actually were the shorthanded ones that day in the desert.

Kalen DeBoer's staff had to dig deep to find someone to play cornerback. 

Both starters were out or less than 100 percent because of injuries. Multiple freshmen took the field that day, with Elijah Jackson making his first UW start and another, Davon Banks, coming up with his first career interception.

However, the Huskies were easy pickings, even for back-up Sun Devils quarterback Trenton Bourguet, who wound up taking ASU down the field late for a game-deciding score and a 45-38 victory. This fill-in player made it happen by throwing over and over again at the UW cornerbacks.

DeBoer vowed this wouldn't happen again, that his Huskies wouldn't be forced to scramble to find an experienced player at any one position group, especially at corner — a responsibility that in essence acts like a safety harness so a football team doesn't fall off the mountain.

The Huskies feel they satisfied this need by going out and securing five new cornerbacks, all with fairly heady credentials. It's a group that consists of Jabbar Muhammad from Oklahoma State, the state's No. 1 recruit in Caleb Presley, a touted Louisiana prospect who advertises himself as Curley "Lockdown" Reed, a California find in Leroy Bryant and a SoCal battled-tested JC player in Thaddeus Dixon.

"That's a phenomenal group," DeBoer said in his Wednesday signing-day briefing.

To try and survive this past season, UW coaches started five different cornerbacks in sophomore Mishael Powell, grad transfer Jordan Perryman from UC Davis, converted junior safety Julius Irvin, Jackson and Banks, and nearly started true freshman Jaivion Green while still playing him a lot.

Powell and Perryman missed several games with injuries, with the latter never looking quite right, or at least not nearly as efficient as he was when going up against Rome Odunze during spring football practice. Irvin and Banks suffered season-ending injuries. Jackson was a late-season complement because of his own health issues.

Throw all of these names together into a hat, new and old, including redshirt freshman Dyson McCutcheon, who flipped back and forth between corner and the hybrid Husky defender, and subtract the soon to depart Perryman, and you have 11 names competing for two jobs.

DeBoer and his Husky staff seem to have indicated to everyone that jobs are there to be had.

"I think all of those guys, including the safeties, are mature for their age," said the UW coach, who signed two of the latter this time. "[They're] guys that we've challenged to come in and really, you immediately know we need some depth, but come in with the intention to really push hard, whatever that role may be, but pushing hard to get on the football field next year and help us out."

Not to point fingers, but harsh reality here is most of the holdovers didn't often show a great break on the football, which is the true mark of a great cornerback. 

A most telling stat: whereas Muhammad had 9 pass break-ups for Oklahoma State this season, the entire Husky cornerback corps came up with a combined 6 break-ups over 12 regular-season games, with Irvin, the converted safety and just a six-game player before getting injured, topping those guys with 2.

With all of that in mind, we look at the Huskies' 11 cornerback candidates, barring any transfer-portal exits or position changes, who should come to spring football practice and be ready to compete like they never have before. 

We currently list these players in order of reputation or previous production. 

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RANKING THE CORNERBACKS

1) Jabbar Muhammad, 5-10, 175, Jr. — He comes to Seattle from Oklahoma State, where he played in 31 games and started 13, opening all 12 this season. The Texas native has 13 career PBUs and one career interception. He's been in the mix and shown results. He  should be considered as a leading candidate to join the No. 1 defense. 

2) Mishael Powell, 6-1, 204, Jr. — The former walk-on from Seattle has played in 20 career Husky games, starting 10, including seven this season. He had no defensive passing stats during this past regular season for DeBoer's staff but came up with 3 PBUs in 2021. If healthy, he stands a good chance to retain his starting role.

3) Caleb Presley, 6-0, 180, Fr. — He's considered the state's No. 1 recruit at any position and flipped his commitment from Oregon, which is what safety Budda Baker did in 2014 for the Huskies. Local guy. No. 1 guy. Left the Ducks at the alter. A Seattle native, Presley should push for immediate playing time, if not a starting job.   

4) Curley Reed, 6-1, 180, Fr. — This Louisiana 4-star prospect missed all but one game of his junior year with a knee injury, which might have kept some of the powerhouse FBS schools from pursuing him. He played as a recovered and confident senior in coming up with 15 PBUs and 2 interceptions, and likewise should push for game time or even starting, same as Presley.

5) Thaddeus Dixon, 6-0, 187, Jr. — He comes to the Huskies from Long Beach City College, where he came up with 5 interceptions in two seasons as a starter. Considering his junior-college experience, this California native should be in the mix for playing time right off the bat. 

6) Davon Banks, 5-11, 185, So. — He showed himself to be a playmaker at times, but got picked on all season by opposing teams, and even gave up the game-winner at Arizona State. He started twice in eight outings before going down with an injury. He had 2 PUBs and an interception at ASU. The concern here is whether he comes out of the season unscathed or as damaged goods. 

7) Leroy Bryant, 6-0, 175, Fr. — A superior all-round athlete, Bryant was named Player of the Year in his northern California high school conference. He caught 58 passes on offense, showing his athleticism. He's considered a sleeper among all of these cornerback candidates, and could leapfrog a lot of players if true.

8) Jaivion Green, 6-2, 202, So. — He played in nine games as a true freshman where it might have been better had he redshirted. While gaining valuable experience, he got picked on as well and gave up multiple touchdown passes, including a deep one to Colorado. He had a PBU and a big hit against Stanford, but it almost seems like he's built to play safety.

9) Elijah Jackson, 6-1, 184, So. — He got on the field late this season due to injury, started against both Arizona schools and appeared in six games overall. He had a forced fumble, but no defensive passing stats. It's unclear if his nine career Husky appearances will keep him from getting passed over by the impressive newcomers or give him an edge over them. 

10) Julius Irvin, 6-1, 179, Sr. — We rank him this low only because he's a natural safety and likely to return there because of the influx of talent. Still, he's the son of one of the greatest NFL corners ever, LeRoy Irvin. He played cornerback because of a manpower emergency, started four games, and then was lost for the season because of injury. He appended himself well while in there with a pass theft and his 2 PBUs. 

11) Dyson McCutcheon, 5-11, 178, So. — Again, he ranks low here only because he spent a good portion of the regular season at the hybrid Husky spot seemingly more than at corner. He appeared in five games and had a PBU. Of course, he hails from a well-known NFL family, as well. 

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