The Washington Huskies have had a major need along the offensive line since the moment the 2023 season ended. The team has now lost all five starters and is looking to break in an entirely new group. As spring practice winds down, only one spot is truly locked down with San Diego State transfer Drew Azzopardi managing right tackle.
The coaching staff has made it clear that it planned to tap into the transfer portal again to bolster the group and did so on Wednesday when Old Dominion transfer Chris Adams announced his commitment to Jedd Fisch’s coaching staff.
Adams didn’t receive much hype when he entered the transfer portal but was quietly one of the more experienced players available after starting 13 games last season.
At a listed 6-foot-6 and 286 pounds, Adams is not the ideal size for a tackle weight-wise, but that isn’t to say that he doesn’t have promising tools for offensive coordinator Brennan Carroll.
If he can manage to add good weight to his frame, he should be more than capable of standing up to Big Ten edge rushers. The ability to bring in a junior who has the level of experience that Adams has is a rare opportunity that the coaching staff has to be thrilled about.
Adams has little tape against non-Sun Belt competition and began last season at right tackle, where he looked extremely uncomfortable at times. Balance was a key reason for his struggles, as he wasn’t able to maintain blocks effectively and was often knocked to the ground. Adams did show promising flashes of potential, displaying that he could climb the pass-rush arc effectively with good initial power from his hands.
— Ben Glassmire (@BenGlassmireNFL) May 2, 2024
It’s rare to witness the change that occurred for Adams when he transitioned from right to left tackle, where he will likely fit in for the Huskies. He blossomed in the nine games he played on the left side, looking much more comfortable sitting back in his stance in pass protection, controlling the rep rather than being thrown off balance so early on.
— Ben Glassmire (@BenGlassmireNFL) May 2, 2024
While he doesn’t produce a ton of push in the run game, he can at the very least maintain the integrity of lanes for an adequate amount of time. The running game will definitely be an area of focus as he develops at Washington, one of the reasons it’s very important that he bolsters his frame.
Maintaining the level of play Adams displayed during the latter half of the season against Big Ten competition will be the main driver of his success next season.
At the very worst, Adams will give the coaching staff a depth option at left tackle as redshirt freshmen Soane Faasolo and Elishah Jackett have both struggled at times during spring practice.
In an ideal world, Adams will be able to claim the starting left tackle spot during fall camp and never look back. The more likely outcome is somewhere in between, as he may struggle as he faces a higher level of competition, but should get better as the year progresses.