Huskies Aren't Short on Talent or Experience at Cornerback

Two years after the position was a problem it's now a strength.

Elijah Jackson and his defensive teammates celebrate a final-play pass break-up in the Sugar Bowl. / Skylar Lin Visuals

Cornerback was the University of Washington football team's weak link just two years ago, with players regularly getting beat, injured and replaced.

Last season, the position proved far more reliable with Elijah Jackson and Jabbar Muhammad each starting all 15 games and coming up with big plays when needed -- see the Sugar Bowl's final snap against Texas -- though reserve corners Davon Banks and Darren Barkins were lost early on to season-ending injuries.

This year, the Husky cornerback talent pool could be even better. Jackson is back, but the Huskies have swapped out the other spot by adding Arizona transfer Ephesians Prysock, an All-Pac-12 honorable-mention selection, to replace Muhammad, who bolted for Oregon after earning All-Pac-12 second-team honors.

In the end, the UW picked up six inches in the deal, with Prysock about to unwind his 6-foot-4, 190-pound frame in the secondary.

This newly arranged Husky cornerback pairing could be fairly effective: Jackson has 17 career starts, Prysock 16. Each player finished last season with 61 tackles. Prysock had 6 pass break-ups, Jackson 5.

Only the linebacker position group boasts more potential UW star power for the coming season -- with three players earning all-conference honors of some kind, somewhere, bidding for the two spots -- but new coach Jedd Fisch's corners could be special. Following is a breakdown of all of the candidates:

Elijah Jackson -- The 6-foot-1, 195-pound junior got picked on a lot and held up under fire, which should greatly boost his confidence level. He had his moments, picking up 8 tackles and 2 PBUs in the regular-season win over Oregon, 6 tackles against Fisch's Arizona team and he finished with 4 tackles, a tackle for loss, 2 PBUs and a blocked field goal against Arizona State. What he needs next is his first career interception.

Ephesians Prysock -- Fisch calls this guy with his long body an NFL cornerback waiting to happen. Known for his toughness, Prysock played hurt against Oklahoma in the Alamo Bowl, got re-injured but wouldn't come out. He piled up a career-best 9 tackles against Colorado, 7 against Colorado. He blocked a field goal against UCLA. He has one career interception, coming up with it against Washington State.

Davon Banks -- The 5-foot-11, 194-pound corner was on the verge of a big season in 2023, picking up 4 pass break-ups in the opener against Boise State, but he suffered a season-ending injury the following week against Tulsa. In 2022, he suffered a season-ending mishzp against California and missed the final five games, but not before starting twice and coming up his lone career interception against Arizona State. If he can stay healthy, the junior could push the projected starters for game time and at the very least provide veteran depth.

Thaddeus Dixon -- The 6-foot-1, 192-pound senior provides another trusted cornerback after playing in 14 of 15 games for the UW's national runner-up team and starting against USC. He finished with a season-high 6 tackles against the Trojans. He intercepted a pass against Washington State in the Apple Cup. He's a very confident player.

Darren Barkins -- The Oregon transfer, possibly the UW's fastest defensive back, lasted just three games last season before he was lost in the third outing at Michigan State with a leg injury. The 5-foot-11, 184-pound junior is not shy on experience, appearing in 15 career games for his two schools.

Leroy Bryant -- He was one of a handful of Husky freshmen who played a lot in 2023 and incredibly preserved his redshirt status while pulling snaps in seven games, mostly as a special-teamer. His three postseason-game appearances didn't count against his eligibility. The 5-foot-11, 178-pound Bryant, who has good instincts, could put himself in the middle of the competition, as well.

Curley Reed -- Showing up with big credentials, the Lake Charles, Louisiana, product redshirted as a freshman. He was uniform when the Huskies played in his home state in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans against Texas, which was a bonus for him. He should be ready to push for game time.

Caleb Presley -- Similar to Reed, Presley joined the UW program with a big reputation and was relegated to a learning year as a redshirt. The 6-foot, 177-pounder from Seattle should be ready to battle for some playing time. As a local guy, he'll always have a lot of pressure on himself to succeed.

Anay Nagarajan -- He joined the program in 2022 through team tryouts and the 5-foot-11, 188-pound junior walk-on did something last season that some of his higher-regarded scholarship peers didn't -- he played in a game against California.