UW Football Signee Khan Lost Classic Texas Wrestling Match

The defensive tackle finished 46-1 as a heavyweight grappler.

For nearly three weeks, the University of Washington football team had defensive-line recruits Ratumana Bulabalavu, Noah Carter, Omar Khan and Keona Wilhite bundled together and signed to national letters of intent.

Underestimated by a number of the national recruiting gurus, this front four collectively held a great deal of promise for Montlake.

"Moving into the Big Ten, these are the kind of guys you absolutely want on the football field," then-Husky coach Kalen DeBoer said at the time.

However, DeBoer's early January coaching departure to Alabama broke up this all-star cast of prospects, sending Bulabalavu to USC, Wilhite to Nebraska and Carter to the Crimson Tide, leaving only Khan to try his luck with Jedd Fisch's new Husky staff.

While the others were known largely for their athleticism, the 6-foot-3, 285-pound Khan clearly is a defensive tackle and a power guy, with a huge lower trunk accentuated by extra-large thighs.

Last weekend, he showed off his well-developed physique at the Texas state wrestling championships held in his hometown of Cypress, which sits 24 miles northwest of downtown Houston.

Unfortunately my season didn’t end the way I planned, but to go from not even making the state tournament my junior year to winning third shows how much progress I made. I’d like to thank my Coaches and all the people who supported me throughout this season.@B_HS_Wrestling https://t.co/eIozMlTogt

— Omar Khan (@OmarKhan2024) February 19, 2024

Competing at the highest level of 6A, Khan entered the semifinals unbeaten in 44 matches for Bridgeland High before he lost a classic battle with Jacob Henry in a 3-2 tie-breaker, eventually finishing third in the 285-pound weight class, or heavyweight division.

No doubt everyone in the arena watched this match unfold. 

Khan was 45-0 when he stepped onto the mat with Henry from Austin's Vandegrift High, who was 36-0. The 6-foot, 285-pound Henry, who holds a wrestling scholarship to Oklahoma, is the son of Mark Henry, a well-known former WWE competitor and a power-lifter once hailed as the world's strongest man.

While coming up just short to the younger Henry, the future Husky football player found a positive outcome in his overall performance.

"Unfortunately, my season didn’t end the way I planned, but to go from not even making the state tournament my junior year to winning third shows how much progress I made," Khan posted on social media.

Omar Khan is declared the winner in this state wrestling match in Texas / Khan

Khan would go on to claim a bronze medal while finishing up his high school wrestling career by pinning Darryl Ntouba from Nelson in the consolation match. He became the first wrestler from Bridgeland High to place at the state meet.

Henry, however, lost the 285-pound state championship match to a sophomore named Za'Qwaun Nunn from Clear Springs in a 1-over tie-breaker.

Khan now will turn his attention to his UW football career, still on board where the others in his position group left, bringing a certain amount of physicality with him.

"You pat him on the back and you can feel the development of him and how strong he is already," DeBoer said in December. "He comes off the line and he just hits you in the mouth."

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