Tag: Washington Huskies Recruiting

Hard-hitting linebacker Madden Faraimo could dominate at Washington

The talented Madden Faraimo visited the Huskies this past weekend and is a major target for the staff and for good reason, he can immediately raise the ceiling of a defense as a freshman.

With the Washington Huskies recruiting weekend extravaganza in the books, it’s now a waiting game to see which players who visited the program will end up committing to Jedd Fisch’s coaching staff. Linebacker has been a focus for the staff with the two incumbent starters Alphonzo Tuputala and Carson Bruener both in their final year of eligibility. With two other seniors behind them set to depart too, there is also a lack of depth meaning that next season, plenty of opportunities will be available to younger players.

Coach Jedd Fisch is pushing to secure a commitment from the top in-state prospect, four-star linebacker Zaydrius Rainey-Sale, but is also looking for other reinforcements at the position. Four-star JSerra Catholic product Madden Faraimo was one of the 16 players to take an official visit to the school last weekend and would make for an impressive duo with Rainey-Sale.

Faraimo does not belong on the field with other high school athletes, he has a sturdy build with even more room to add weight to his 6-foot-3, 210-pound frame when he gets to the college. It looks like he could easily carry close to 240 pounds if that is his preferred playing weight.

When on the field, Faraimo makes sure to make offensive players aware of just how big he is, routinely laying bone-shaking hits on receivers and punishing running backs who find gaps in the defensive line. College-ready defenders are a rare commodity and Faraimo pairs excellent instincts with a drool-worthy frame.

Improving in coverage will be Faraimo’s main task in college, he does have some experience in coverage but much of it comes from a safety position. He even got some reps as the single-high safety, which is uncommon for larger linebackers. As he matures and continues to develop his instincts, learning to drop into coverage from the linebacker position will be integral. The physical and athletic traits he possesses should make this transition even easier.

Faraimo has the versatility to fill all three linebackers’ positions. Right away his best fit may be at SAM for his run-defending prowess but as he becomes more comfortable with the speed of the college game, a move to MIKE should absolutely be feasible.

For the Huskies, getting a player of Faraimo’s high floor and high-ceiling skillset should be a major priority for the team. He already feels like someone who has an NFL future and should only continue to improve with improved coaching and more of a focus on a traditional linebacker mold.

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Four-star Washington EDGE target sets commitment date

The Washington Huskies are high on four-star edge rusher CJ May’s list, who has set a date for his commitment.

The Washington Huskies quickly developed a strong relationship with four-star edge rusher CJ May after Jedd Fisch’s coaching staff took over in late January. Now, he is set to announce his commitment on July 14.

The 6-foot-4, 225-pound product of Highland Home High School in Alabama decommitted from Notre Dame in February and holds 23 scholarship offers from some of the nation’s top programs, including Auburn, Georgia, Miami, and Penn State. Among those 23, a few are standing out.

In May, the nation’s No. 16 edge rusher and No.145 overall prospect according to 247Sports took official visits to Washington and Louisville and could set up one or two more before the end of June. 247Sports insider David Johnson put in a crystal ball prediction for May to end up with coach Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss, but he has yet to take an official visit to Oxford.

Defensive line coach Jason Kaufusi is looking for two or three projectable edge rushers in the 2025 class and May certainly fits the bill of what he’s looking for.

With a year or two in a college weight room, he could thrive in defensive coordinator Steve Belichick’s scheme and it appears the Huskies have a good chance at landing the coveted prospect.

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Three-star safety Rylon Dillard-Allen includes Washington in top 4

2025 safety recruit Rylon Dillard-Allen, a consensus three-star, included Washington in his top four schools in a post on X on Monday.

Three-star safety Rylon Dillard-Allen announced his top four schools on Monday afternoon, including the Huskies in an illustrious group vying for the 2025 prospect’s commitment.

Dillard-Allen whittled his list down to Washington, Texas A&M, Alabama, and UCLA in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

The standout safety at Mountain Pointe (Ariz.) High School committed to Arizona State in April, but reopened his recruitment in mid-May, opening the door for Jedd Fisch and his staff, namely safeties coach Vinnie Sunseri, to make another push.

Dillard-Allen told On3 that he hopes to be committed by late July. Washington was in contention for his commitment during the first round of his recruitment, even after Kalen DeBoer’s staff left for Alabama. Fisch’s staff had also offered the then in-state Dillard-Allen during his time at Arizona before making the move north, where it continued to prioritize the lightning-quick prospect.

Fisch also added Steve Belichick to his staff, who has already proven to be a draw for recruits looking for NFL experience. Dillard-Allen called the Huskies’ defensive coordinator a “standout” when speaking to On3 about his top four.

Dillard-Allen also mentioned the defensive background of Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko and the fact that UCLA is the only school offering him an opportunity to play nickel as rationale for including them in his top four.

Four-star Washington WR target sets commitment date

The Washington Huskies are zeroing in on four-star wide receiver Chris Lawson, who will announce his commitment soon.

Among Washington’s 16 official visitors from the May 31 weekend was four-star wide receiver Chris Lawson. The product of Archbishop Riordan High School in San Francisco, California, has been one of Washington’s top targets for a long time, even before Jedd Fisch’s coaching staff took over.

Lawson’s relationship with the school continued when wide receivers coach Kevin Cummings came to Seattle, as the new position coach was also heavily recruiting him during his time at Arizona.

On Sunday, following the conclusion of his visit, the nation’s No. 24 wide receiver and No. 217 overall player cut his list of 24 scholarship offers down to three. The final three are somewhat unsurprising, as they’re also the three schools that earned official visits from him: Washington, Oregon, and California.

Lawson, who is set to visit Oregon on June 7 and Cal on June 14, also set his commitment date for June 21 in the same announcement. It appears this could come down to the Huskies and Ducks, and should be a good test for Cummings.

Coach Dan Lanning already has three four-star receivers committed in the 2025 class, while Cummings has just one pledge, three-star Raiden Vines-Bright, to this point. That could change soon if the Huskies, who also hosted four-stars Andrew Marsh and Phillip Bell on official visits over the weekend, can land Lawson along with at least one of the two other visitors.

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Washington official visit impressed three-star edge rusher Devin Hyde

The Washington Huskies made a strong impression on three-star edge rusher Devin Hyde.

Defensive line coach Jason Kaufusi is looking to pull in some of the nation’s top high school talent as part of the Washington Huskies’ 2025 recruiting class. Among his top targets is three-star edge rusher Devin Hyde, who took his official visit to Seattle over the weekend.

The 6-foot-5, 225-pound Hyde, a product of Menlo-Atherton High School in California, is ranked as the nation’s No. 51 edge rusher and could be nearing his college decision. He visited UCLA in early May and will take a trip to nearby California on June 7, and could announce his commitment at any point.

Hyde has taken multiple unofficial visits to Washington and appears to be impressed by what Jedd Fisch’s coaching staff has to offer.

“I think the way that coach Fisch set up the presentations about what’s at Washington and what it can give for us was executed immensely well and really impressed me,” Hyde told Tyler Harden of TTJH Sports.

As the coaching staff continues to build the 2025 class, Hyde is a name to watch as Kaufusi looks to add two or potentially three edge rushers.

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Belichick breaks out Super Bowl rings for Washington’s official visitors

The Washington Huskies defensive coordinator broke out his NFL hardware for Washington’s official visitors.

Since he arrived in Seattle, Jedd Fisch has been branding the Washington Huskies as the “33rd NFL team” and hired former New England Patriots playcaller Steve Belichick as his defensive coordinator to hammer the point home.

With Washington’s coaching staff hosting 16 official visitors over the weekend, Belichick sent the ultimate message about his credentials as he prepares for his first season at the college level.

Multiple current Husky players and official visitors took to social media wearing Belichick’s Super Bowl rings as the Huskies pulled out all the stops in an attempt to add to the 2025 class. All five of Washington’s commits are on the offensive side of the ball, and the coaching staff will need to add a significant amount of pieces to the defense, expecting a large turnover in 2025.

Six of the nine four-star recruits on campus are defensive prospects, headlined by five-star cornerback Dijon Lee, four-star linebacker Matai Tagoa’i, and four-star corner Daryus Dixson, who are all ranked inside 247Sports’ top 100.

Even though Washington has yet to receive a commitment from the weekend, making a strong first impression on a lot of these recruits that are set to visit some of the nation’s other top programs in the coming weeks is very important and there are few better ways to do that than with the most coveted prize in football.

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Four-star CB Trestin Castro reschedules Washington official visit

The Washington Huskies rescheduled four-star USC commit Trestin Castro’s official visit.

Cornerbacks coach John Richardson has strongly emphasized recruiting the position in the 2025 class. Among his top targets is four-star prospect Trestin Castro, who committed to coach Lincoln Riley and the USC Trojans on April 2.

That hasn’t stopped numerous coaching staffs from recruiting the product of Upland High School, which also produced Husky running back Cameron Davis and wide receiver Taj Davis in the 2019 class. He was still set to take an official visit to Washington on June 21 following his commitment but has rescheduled for June 7.

Ranked as the nation’s No. 24 cornerback and No. 218 overall player by 247Sports, the 6-foot, 170-pound Castro is also set to visit the Trojans on June 21 and the Texas Longhorns on June 14.

“He has a natural instinct in coverage, quick reaction and timing when breaking on the ball, and ball tracking skills that are highly developed,” Huskies Wire’s Camber Michelle said. “He is also solid against the run with his speed and tackling ability, which could lead to some teams viewing him as a safety.”

Richardson will continue to prioritize Castro and three-star LaRue Zamorano along with May 31’s top-100 visitors Daryus Dixson and Dijon Lee, the latter of which is set to commit on June 28 in a class that could see the Huskies take three cornerbacks.

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Film Room: Washington visitor Dylan Robinson could star at numerous positions

The Washington Huskies will be hosting a vast number of potential recruits this weekend, one of them is the versatile Dylan Robinson who has experience on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.

The Washington Huskies are kicking off what is being considered the most important recruiting weekend for the program in some time. 16 high-profile recruits will take their official visits to Seattle, which will set the tone for Jedd Fisch’s first full class with the team.

Securing a headliner like the nation’s No. 4 cornerback Dijon Lee could go a long way to putting together one of the top groups in the country. But it isn’t all about the flashy five-star recruits.

For a team like the Huskies who were decimated by NFL departures and the transfer portal in the offseason, depth will be crucial to rebuilding all over the field. One player who could help at multiple positions in that rebuild is four-star athlete Dylan Robinson who has numerous positional landing spots at whatever school he ends up at.

As a high schooler, Robinson, who is ranked as the nation’s No. 8 athlete by 247Sports, has experience playing both corner and wide receiver, but defense seems to be his most natural fit. He’s an excellent ball tracker (something that allows him to star on offense) and thrives with his length and physicality as a defender. He also has a slighter frame, but isn’t afraid to come downhill and work against screens when needed.

There are quite a few traits in his game that point to a future as a safety. Robinson is a bit limited in his straight-line speed and doesn’t always show the best flexibility, two areas that are needed for success at corner. This doesn’t mean that he can’t find a future at corner if that’s where Washington’s staff views him. As a press man corner, he could easily use his length and physical play style to antagonize receivers.

Much of his final landing spot could depend on how the team he chooses views both his upcoming senior year of high school and its own needs at each position.

For the Huskies, cornerback is crowded at the moment and there is a potential opening at safety next season. Freshman Peyton Waters and Robinson could form a formidable backend duo should safety be his eventual landing spot.

That said, cornerbacks coach John Richardson has shown that he prefers long, lanky corners, a profile that Robinson also fits.

The first step before this can be considered will be getting Robinson to commit to Washington, something Richardson and safeties coach Vinnie Sunseri will be working tirelessly for over the weekend.

Washington re-offers All-American bowl standout wide receiver

The Washington Huskies extended an offer to St. John Bosco standout Kamryn Jones on Friday.

Wide receivers coach Kevin Cummings has established strong relationships with some of the best prospects in the 2025 class and is hosting three on official visits over the May 31 weekend. However, that didn’t stop him from extending an offer to three-star wide receiver Kamryn Jones on Friday.

The 6-foot-2, 180-pound prospect transferred from St. John Bosco to Rancho Cucamonga High School and is ranked as the nation’s No. 193 receiver by 247Sports and has one of the most intriguing offer lists for his ranking.

In 2022, he received scholarship offers from Ohio State, Georgia, Oregon, and Tennessee, and one from Kalen DeBoer’s staff. Then in the summer of 2023, he added Texas A&M and Michigan to that list.

After his transfer to Rancho Cucamonga, he could be in for a big senior season which started at the All-American Bowl’s national combine in January, where Rivals’ Adam Friedman named him one of the top performers at the event.

“Jones was lost in the depth of a loaded St. John Bosco receiver corps this past season but if his performance at the combine is any indication of what we can expect from him next year, we could be looking at a prolific wide receiver,” Friedman said.

“Showcasing impressive route-running skills, Jones consistently made it easy for quarterbacks to get him the ball. It wasn’t often that defensive backs were able to stick with him thanks to his quickness out of his cuts.”

With four-stars Andrew Marsh, Chris Lawson, and Phillip Bell on campus, three-star Raiden Vines-Bright committed, and the interest of four-star Donovan Olugbode, Jones could end up being a deep sleeper in the 2025 class if Cummings chooses to prioritize him later in the cycle.

Four-star OL Douglas Utu includes Washington in top 6

The Washington Huskies are among the six finalists for four-star OL Douglas Utu.

Four-star offensive lineman Douglas Utu is among Washington offensive coordinator Brennan Carroll’s top targets in the 2025 class as the Huskies look to rebuild their front after the departure of all five starters from the 2023 Joe Moore Award-winning unit.

Utu, who is ranked as the No. 4 interior offensive lineman and No. 101 player in the country by 247Sports, took an official visit to Washington for the spring game and on Thursday, announced the top six schools that he’s focusing on moving forward in his recruitment.

The Huskies found themselves among the Alabama Crimson Tide, Michigan Wolverines, Nebraska Cornhuskers, Oregon Ducks, and Tennessee Volunteers in the competition for Utu’s services.

At 6-foot-5, 300-pounds, the product of Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Nevada, understands the position at a very high level and is extremely technically proficient. Thanks to his size and athleticism that go along with his high IQ, Utu has a chance to play early on in his college career, even along the offensive line which is certainly one of Carroll’s biggest selling points.

Utu is set to take an official visit to Michigan on Friday and has yet to schedule a date with any of the other schools in his top six, signaling that Washington could be in a good spot with the coveted offensive lineman.

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