Washington offers rising 2026 DL from Tennessee

The Washington Huskies extended an offer to a promising defensive lineman from Tennessee.

The Washington Huskies‘ never-ending quest to add top-end talent to Jedd Fisch’s coaching staff to Tennessee on Friday, as the Huskies extended an offer to three-star 2026 edge rusher Yahya Gaad.

A product of South Gibson High School in Medina, Tennessee, Gaad is listed at 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds and added Washington’s scholarship to a trio of SEC offers: Kentucky, Ole Miss, Mississippi State.

Gaad’s great size allows him to be deployed with his hand in the dirt or as a standup edge rusher, and he excels in both spots. He identifies plays quickly and never loses sight of the ball carrier, getting off the line of scrimmage quickly and using his impressive athleticism to get into the backfield in a flash.

Like a lot of high school defensive linemen, Gaad still has some work to do with his hand-fighting technique and needs to add a few pass rush moves before he may be a consistent player at the college level, something that defensive line coach Jason Kaufusi has helped develop with Washington’s front in his first year on Montlake.

Gaad’s high school film shows he has all the tools necessary to be a successful defensive lineman with a few years of development, something the Huskies are desperately looking to add as they continue to build their roster for the Big Ten.

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