Even with spring practice underway, the Washington Huskies coaching staff is still recruiting at full capacity. There has been no hesitation by coach Jedd Fisch to scout the entire country either, looking for the best players that the Huskies can reel in.
Fisch turned his eye to the Midwest this week, securing an official visit beginning on June 21 from Isaiah White. White is a product of Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is ranked as the nation’s No. 118 defensive lineman by 247 Sports.
With the lack of depth along the defensive line, it’s no surprise that this is a point of emphasis for position coach Jason Kaufusi. White has offers from eight other schools including Boston College, Michigan State, and West Virginia, while Washington is the first West Coast team to show interest in the 6-foot-3, 270-pound prospect.
During his junior year, White racked up 11.5 tackles for loss and was a force in the middle of his team’s defensive line. He has so much room to grow into his frame and could play multiple spots along the defensive line depending on the path he chooses.
Length is one of the most valuable assets for a defensive lineman and White easily checks that box. He’s able to disengage from blocks and lunge to ballcarriers with ease. In fact, most of his 2023 production came in this manner.
At this point, White is a much better run defender than pass rusher. This is to be expected for such a young player, due to the need for developed pass rush moves in that area. He doesn’t have the ability to win as a pass-rusher outside of pure straight rushes yet, but he’s able to collapse the pocket effectively, which is an important foundational trait.
For now, White is best thought of as a run defending three-technique but could move further inside and could make more of an impact if he can gain good weight on his impressive frame.
This season will be important for White, he is now receiving major interest from numerous high-profile programs, so posting a dominant season will go a long way to helping him earn a large role when he steps on a college campus.
The Huskies are looking to be the team that he ends up choosing, as White would be an exciting commitment for Fisch. He would not only net them an impressive player, but would begin to encroach on Big Ten recruiting territory, which will be critical as the Huskies make the move to the conference.