Westover Doesn't Have a UW Scholarship, But He's a Money Player
Every college football team should have a Jack Westover.
Someone who comes to you at a bargain rate, as a hungry walk-on asked to further prove himself.
As as a player who readily demonstrates he can fill multiple pressurized roles, plus provide a high return.
After showing up at Washington without a scholarship, more often than not a sign of long odds for drawing meaningful playing time, Westover made the Huskies put him on the field and use him as a redshirt freshman in 2019.
He not only proved to be an adept blocker, as both a tight end and a makeshift fullback, he could catch, too.
Westover filled a hole at tight end created by an injury to Jacob Kizer and the graduation of Drew Sample, by opening up holes in the defense.
At 6-foot-3 and 243 pounds, he brought an overly physical approach to the Huskies. He backed down from no one.
Against Oregon, a photographer snapped an image of Westover and Ducks linebacker and first-team All-Pac-12 selection Troy Dye in a rather heated exchange at Husky Stadium, going facemask to facemask, with neither player lacking for spine.
Westover wasn't offered a scholarship by the Huskies because of injury, not performance concerns.
"The issue we had with Jack was staying healthy in high school," former UW coach Chris Petersen said. "He didn't have a lot of tape on him. We wanted to make sure he could stay healthy so he could develop."
This is another in a series of profiles on prospective UW football starters. While spring practice has been canceled or postponed because of the pandemic, Husky Maven/Sports Illustrated continues to provide uninterrupted coverage.
Westover is part of a deep collection of players at one of Washington's traditionally elite positions, joining junior Cade Otton, a two-year starter and honors candidate; sophomore Devin Culp, possibly the best pro prospect; Kizer, a senior and another blocking specialist; and incoming freshmen Mark Redmond and Mason West.
The walk-on's breakout moment came in the Huskies' 51-27 victory at Arizona. He hauled in a 3-yard touchdown pass from Jacob Eason in the third quarter to give his team the lead for good at 21-17 lead. He came back a short time later to lead the blocking on Salvon Ahmed's 4-yard TD run, not only providing a lane but pushing his running back into the end zone.
Further complicating his recruitment, Westover attended three Seattle-area high schools -- Issaquah, O'Dea and Mount Si. At the final stop, he broke his collarbone in his second football game as a senior and was done, hence the Huskies' reluctance at offering him.
Westover turned down scholarships from Eastern Washington and Montana State to show he could play at Washington, even if it had to be on his own dime. As a red-zone specialist, he's earned his keep even though he hasn't formally been extended financial aid just yet.
No matter how you look at him, though, he's a money player.
SUMMARY: Westover caught a touchdown pass, knocked down defenders, got in their faces and did all of this as a redshirt freshman. Without a scholarship. He should send Washington an invoice.
GRADE (1 to 5): He gets a 3. The best is yet to come. He has three more seasons to show what he can do. The competition is fierce, but so is his approach.
