2025 running back Julian McMahan is among Washington’s top targets

The 2025 recruiting class is already heating up with Washington securing a visit from running back Julian McMahan, but what could he offer if he were to commit to the Huskies?

With the 2024 signing day now in the rearview mirror, coach Jedd Fisch and the Washington Huskies coaching staff have turned its full attention to the 2025 class. The staff secured an official visit from five-star cornerback Dijon Lee Jr., and on Monday, running back Julian McMahan also set his official visit for June 21. Fisch has made it no secret that he is looking to recruit at an elite level, something Washington was missing under former head coach Kalen DeBoer.

The running back room has clearly been an emphasis for the staff, which brought in Arizona transfer Jonah Coleman and earned a commitment from three-star Adam Mohammed. Pairing them with incumbent Cameron Davis makes Washington’s running game a formidable piece of its new-look offense.

McMahan has clearly become one of the top targets for the staff early on as they look to build the foundation of a dominant recruiting class. As a junior at Monte Vista High School in California, he rushed for over 1,100 yards and racked up 19 total touchdowns and will look to build on those numbers as he enters his final high school season.

What can McMahan bring to the Huskies?

McMahan plays on both sides of the ball, taking snaps at both running back and outside linebacker, but he is being recruited as a running back, and for good reason. He dominates high school competition with excellent contact balance and the willingness to put his head down and absorb contact. He is rarely brought down on first contact and easily sheds arm tackles.

Obviously, he will face much stronger, more technically sound tacklers at the college level but McMahan is far from developed from a physical standpoint. Based on his profile, he is somewhat similar to Jonah Coleman.

The 6-foot-2, 195-pound prospect could be boxed into an early down role depending on the progression of his development. He wins in a north-south manner and will need to show that he can develop vision and patience if he is to become a full-time starter during his career. Due to a lack of long speed and an extra gear, McMahan will likely not be a player who breaks off a ton of explosive runs in his career. However, he has already shown some ability to be a solid pass-catcher and his high school team is very comfortable using him as a outlet man and on wheel routes out of the backfield.

As the 2025 recruiting cycle heats up it will be important to secure a commitment McMahan so that the staff can feel comfortable about the future of the running back room as it continues to shore up other positions of need.