Decker DeGraaf has had a spectacular start to his college career with the Washington Huskies. So much so that coach Jedd Fisch dubbed him as part of the future of the program.
The true freshman and former three-star recruit scored a touchdown in each of his first two career games, but his impact goes far beyond just finding the end zone.
In Washington’s 24-19 Apple Cup loss to Washington State, DeGraaf continued to shine. Although he only hauled in one reception for 21 yards, his impact went far beyond the stat sheet at tight ends coach Jordan Paopao’s depleted position.
Through three weeks, DeGraaf has received an 81.3 grade from Pro Football Focus, which is among the top ten highest grades the analytics site has given out to true freshmen this year.
“He’s been a huge addition,” offensive coordinator Brennan Carroll said. “We thought that he might be able to perform like this. We’ve had him for a long time now after getting all the spring practices in, and it’s great that he’s been able to develop in waves.”
DeGraaf finished Washington’s nonconference slate with 4 catches for 104 yards and 2 touchdowns for an average of 26 yards per reception. He’s also been a solid contributor as a blocker in the absence of senior Quentin Moore, who hasn’t played since the team’s season opener against Weber State.
Even when Moore comes back, DeGraaf’s performance may be enough to keep him in the rotation.