In this day and age of youth sports, it can be rare to find a player who began football so late, but that is what the Washington Huskies are targeting in Josiah Hammond, who didn’t play football until his junior year of high school. Despite this, Hammond has risen to become a three-star recruit as a defensive lineman after posting an impressive first season playing the sport.
#PurpleReign #AllAboutTheW !! ☔️ pic.twitter.com/WeJ8x843Z9
— Josiah “Cheese” Hammond (@CheeseHammond11) May 25, 2024
The Huskies require defensive line help as they are still looking for some of their incumbent players to break out. Russell Davis, Isaiah Ward, and Lance Holtzclaw are some of the players who could shine this year on the Washington defensive line.
Getting some high-upside players into the group who could take over when those players finish their careers is extremely important. Though Hammond may not be able to help the team immediately, his future contributions should be the main selling point.
As would be expected for a player with such little experience playing the sport, Hammond is extremely raw, but his natural ability jumps off the screen. He is an excellent athlete with impressive twitch, can chase down plays from the backside, and pursue running backs well into the second level.
Another impressive part of his game at this point is that he is a very natural block shedder despite having limited experience with proper technique. Hammond can play with solid leverage and not allow defenders’ hands to get to his chest. This provides him with the tools to be extremely impactful in the running game.
The fact that Hammond notched only two sacks last season is a bit misleading for several reasons. Many of the offenses he went against seemed to be based on getting the ball out early. Hammond was constantly in the backfield making life difficult for the quarterback, he would likely receive high marks in metrics like pressures and hurries if they were measured at the high school level.
Developing and refining pass rush moves is something of an art, and for a player who is likely focused on learning more basic aspects of his game, working on his toolbox may not yet be an important focus. It will be crucial to see progress from Hammond going into next season, but if the Huskies can land him, being patient with him as he builds out his repertoire will be key to his development.
Mixing in high-ceiling players with instant-impact recruits is key to a memorable recruiting class. Jedd Fisch’s coaching staff, especially defensive line coach Jason Kaufusi, seems to be doing a good job of targeting the players who can fit both sides of this coin.