UW Class of '21 Basically Was a Dud, Providing No Starters, Just 6 Survivors

The Jimmy Lake-led Huskies missed on a lot of players back then.

It was the sort of recruiting class that could set the University of Washington football program back for years, proving unsettling for so how few players worked out or simply stayed put.

Three years ago, Husky coach Jimmy Lake welcomed 15 players at the early signing date in December, gushing over their vast potential, and added two more players later to his collection of Class of 2021 talent. 

It's a wonder that Kalen DeBoer, Lake's successor, has been able to turn the UW into a 13-0 powerhouse entered in the College Football Playoff and two wins away from a national championship. On Wednesday, DeBoer began welcoming  the latest class of new Huskies that will have to overcompensate for Lake's recruiting failings.

With safety Vince Nunley's recent departure, only six of the 17 signees from 2021 remain on the roster.

Just six of these players have started Husky games, but no one has opened in more than two outings at any time in his career.

Six have never played in a UW game.

Two have played in just one outing.

Six appear to be out of football now.

Collectively, these guys, signed at the height of the COVID pandemic, have played in 132 UW games, and together made 9 starts, thrown for a lone touchdown and caught one scoring pass.

On defense, they currently have a collective 101 tackles, 11 sacks and 2 interceptions.

And typically, without the pandemic freebies, they would be juniors now or redshirt sophomores.

Of the 11 players who have exited the 2021 UW recruiting class, either voluntarily or encouraged to move on, they've relocated to Oklahoma, Hawaii, Connecticut, Murray State, Cal Poly and ever so briefly to Incarnate Word.

Quarterback Sam Huard, the one-time 5-star recruit, and defensive tackle Kuao Peihopa are the only 2021 Husky signees who have become full-fledged starters anywhere let alone at the UW.

Huard opened 10 games this past season for a 3-8 Cal Poly team, sitting out one game while in concussion protocol, and Peihopa started all 13 games for a 5-8 Hawaii team.

Vaunted 4-star running back Emeka Megwa reclassified from the Class of 2022 and enrolled at the UW early after suffering a serious knee injury at a new Texas high school for him that has required multiple surgeries. He never even got on the practice field for the Huskies. He stayed in Seattle just nine months, dealing only with the training staff and doctors.

This past year, Megwa joined Oklahoma as a walk-on player and had a lone carry for 6 yards against TCU this past season — his first in a game in three long years.

Of the 2021 roster survivors, cornerback Davon Banks and offensive tackle Robert Wyrsch each were lost for the season with upper-body injuries this fall, leaving just four of their recruiting class members able to play in Montlake.

Of that foursome, just defensive lineman Voi Tunuufi and tight end Quentin Moore have appeared in all 13 games this season, with Tunuufi picking up 2 more sacks to give him an amazing 10 in his career while largely coming off the bench and Moore catching his first career Husky touchdown pass in the Pac-12 championship game.

Tunuufi and Moore could become UW starters in 2024, which would be a much-needed breakthrough a boost to the reputation of the dwindling and inactive Class of '21. 

---

2021 UW RECRUITING CLASS

Davon Banks, CB — The corner has appeared in 14 Husky games, though just two this season before he was lost with a season-ending injury. He has career totals of 22 tackles, an interception and 6 pass break-ups. He started two games in 2022.

Caleb Berry, RB — This Texas rusher never played in a game for the UW after joining the program while still in recovery from a broken leg suffered in a high school game. He transferred to FCS Incarnate Word, where he played briefly and appears to be out of football. 

Siaosi Finau, DT — A one-year high school player in suburban Renton, he came to the UW as a project recruited by no one else and played in just 3 games in 2022 before moving on. He appears to be out of football.

Maurice Heims, ER — This German import has played in 19 Husky games as a reserve and a special-teamer, making him a regular contributor. He has 7 tackles and a sack.

Sam Huard, QB — The prize of this recruiting class and a legacy player, he appeared in just 5 games and threw 44 passes in two seasons. He started the 2021 Apple Cup as a freshman. He transferred to Cal Poly, where he passed for 2,247 yards and 18 TDs in his first season.

Caden Jumper, TE — Described by Lake as another Will Dissly, Jumper appeared in just a solitary game for the Huskies in 2022 before transferring to Murray State, where he played in 10 games and caught a pass for 13 yards this fall.

Will Latu, LB — This 4-star defender signed and enrolled at the UW, but never joined the Huskies for personal reasons, according to Lake, and he's never played college football.

Dyson McCutcheon, NB — The grandson of stalwart NFL running back Lawrence McCutcheon, he's appeared in 12 games over two seasons as a defensive back for the UW, and has 5 career tackles.

Emeka Megwa, RB — Megwa was a 4-star running back out of Fort Worth who was going to be one of Lake's marquee players, but he was hurt after switching high schools. A non-scholarship player now, he appeared in two Oklahoma games this fall.

Quentin Moore, TE — A Kansas junior-college transfer, Moore has played in 26 Husky games, starting twice in 2022. He's considered a proficient blocker. He has 7 receptions for 71 yards and that recent title-game score in Las Vegas, with his 2-yard TD catch ultimately providing the winning points in a 34-31 victory over Oregon.

Vincent Nunley, S — The recently departed Nunley started eight games over two seasons, opening against Michigan State and intercepting a pass at Arizona this fall. Even with the gains made, Nunley seemed to run crosswise with the DeBoer staff, sat out the past three games for "personal reasons" and headed for the transfer portal.

Kuao Peihopa, DT — A promising defender who came to the UW physically ready to play, the Hawaiian appeared in seven games over two seasons before getting suspended for a dust-up with a football staffer and entering the portal.

Owen Prentice, C — The Seattle native never played in a game. He gave it two seasons, leaving midway through spring practice last April. He's out of football.

Zakhari Spears, CB — Likewise, this cornerback from California never played at the UW either and transferred to Connecticut, where he drew snaps in 3 contests this fall.

Jabez Tinae, WR — Huard's favorite target in high school, he had an injury-filled stay at the UW and played in just one game in 2021. He's out of football.

Voi Tunuufi, DT — Tunuufi has played the most of any of his fellow 2021 UW recruits, appearing in 37 games, starting twice as a freshman. He has 47 career tackles and those 10 sacks coming off the bench.

Robert Wyrsch, OT — Another project player who came late to the game in high school, Wyrsch was seen in a sling after suffering an arm or shoulder injury and he had season-ending surgery. He hasn't played in a UW game yet.

---

Go to si.com/college/washington to read the latest Inside the Huskies stories — as soon as they’re published. Not all stories are posted on the fan sites.

Find Inside the Huskies on Facebook by searching: Inside Huskies/FanNation at SI.com or https://www.facebook.com/dan.raley.12

Follow Dan Raley of Inside the Huskies on Twitter: @DanRaley1 or @UWFanNation or @DanRaley3

Have a question, direct message me on Facebook or Twitter.