2027 Big Board 1.0

Now that the ink is dry on the 2026 class, it is time to shift our focus to the 2027 class. Resident recruiting writers Aaron Sieverkropp and Luke Kemper reveal their rankings for the priority of recruits for UW’s 2027 class. They each compiled a list of 25 prospects, averaged them out, and created UWDP’s first big board for the 2027 class. Some of the basic criteria used was that they are all prospects that UW has already offered and that UW is in reasonable consideration for them. This is not indicative of how the coaches themselves are ranking the prospects, but for many of the top prospects it is safe to say the UW coaches would love to add them to the roster. With that, lets dive in!

1) Kasi Currie

Position: DL

Height: 6’5 Weight: 315

High School: Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, CA)

Player Overview: Currie is among one of the most dominant IDL in the nation between the combination of his size, athleticism, and play recognition. One would think that he would just be a run stuffer, but he is incredibly disruptive up the middle for TFLs or to force QBs to throw the ball away early. If IDL players play OL as well in HS they typically will play on the IOL, but Currie is such a phenomenal athlete that he plays RT. There are many scouts who believe he would also be a very good OT in college, but his ceiling is higher on the DL.

Why we rated him here: I have been high on Currie for a while and so have most college coaches around the country. The Huskies were one of the first schools to go after Currie who has seen his stock explode recently. It goes without saying that adding a borderline 5 star defensive tackle can really help a defense out and if the Huskies can secure Currie they will be brining in another valuable cog. -Aaron

Current Recruiting Status: When you are rated as highly as Currie is, you are bound to have a plethora of suitors. This offseason he wants to get out to Alabama, LSU, Ohio State, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, and UW. It has been no secret that Currie is looking to at least leave California, but there is also a very good chance he leaves the west coast as well. The schools that appear to be doing the best with Currie at this early stage include Alabama, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Texas.

2) Troy Bowens

Position: Edge

Height: 6’4 Weight: 250

High School: Sutter (Sutter, CA)

Player Overview: Bowens looks like a future SDE/DL hybrid who can play stout and disciplined run defense while also being a huge pass rush threat as well. He is an every down edge, which are always in high demand at every program. In addition to his strength and burst off the edge, Bowens is also very good at hand fighting and what he lacks in pure straight-line speed he makes up for with an endless motor that he uses to impact every snap.

Why we rated him here: UW has not had a lot of success in getting to the QB in the past couple of years. UW had a very good 2026 DL class, but they need to continue to stack talent every year to help improve the results on the field. The 2027 class is shaping up to not have very much top-end talent at the edge position out west and there are only two 4 star edges. One is Krew Jones, who is already committed to Oklahoma, and the other is Bowens. Given his talent, him playing a position of need, and the scarcity of top talent at the position in this class are the reasons I rated him as the top player on my board. -Luke

Current Recruiting Status: In multiple interviews over the past few months Bowens has repeatedly said that UW is his top school. It is a multi-prong recruitment at UW for Bowens with Aaron Van Horn, Marcus Griffin, and even Jedd Fisch all actively recruiting him. Enter, Tosh Lupoi. Since he became head coach at Cal, he has made Bowens his top priority and they have taken the lead. The Huskies will need to pull out all the stops to land him.

3) Tevita Nonu

Position: DL

Height: 6’4 Weight: 270

High School: O’Dea (Seattle, WA)

Player Overview: After dealing with some injuries in his sophomore year and into his junior campaign, Nonu looked like a man with a lot to prove when he was able to take the field this season and boy did his film pop. He is extremely explosive at the point of attack with a quick first step, power in both his upper and lower body, and is surprisingly nimble for his size. He still has room to improve some mechanics, but with a frame that should easily allow him to increase to 300 pounds without sacrificing his athleticism his ceiling is incredibly high.

Why we rated him here: There is always going to be a need for top DL talent year-over-year and the staff has continued to make the push to bolster the trenches through HS recruiting. Fortunately for UW this is the second year in a row with many talented DL prospects out west, but Nonu is the first 4 star DL prospect from the state of Washington since JT Tuimoloau in the 2021 class. Fisch has signed the top recruit in Washington both years he has been here and with the talent and positional value that Nonu brings, the staff would love nothing more than to keep him home. -Luke

Current Recruiting Status: UW has made Nonu a priority for a very long time and it appears to be paying off in the early going. Despite the close proximity and signing his teammate David Schwerzel in the 2026 class, it is still far too early to call him a lock to the Huskies. Arizona, Arizona State, and Cal among others are all very actively after him as well.

4) Jackson Roper

Position: IOL

Height: 6’5 Weight: 285

High School: Cherry Creek (Englewood, CO)

Player Overview: For most IOL they usually excel at run blocking, but can have trouble in pass blocking early on in their development. Not Roper though, he excels at both as well as getting to the second level of the defense with ease thanks to his athleticism.

Why we rated him here: To win games in the B1G you need to win in the trenches and landing the top OL prospect in the west is certainly a good start to accomplishing that. UW managed to do it in the 2026 class when they signed Kodi Greene, so they should continue to aim high again. -Luke

Current Recruiting Status: The Huskies appeared to be in a good position very early, but now appear to have a hill to climb to catch up to some of the national powers like Alabama, Michigan, and Ohio State. Fortunately he is close friends and was teammates with 2026 UW signee Tufanua Ionatana Umu-Cais (TI).

5) Alifeleti Tuihalamaka

Position: DL

Height: 6’3 Weight: 260

High School: Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, CA)

Player Overview: Although he lines up everywhere on the DL, he primarily played on the edge. His frame should allow him to add 30 pounds without sacrificing his elite speed and overall athleticism. In addition to his size, speed, and strength, he also has a huge 80” wingspan he can use to his advantage. He can win against opposing OL with either speed or power. Accompanied by a non-stop motor make him a constant presence in the opponent’s backfield.

Why we rated him here: Top 100 national players are already pretty rare out west compared to the rest of the country, but to have one also at DL makes it a no brainer to heavily go after them. Tuihalamaka reminds me a lot of recent signee JD Hill with his athleticism and versatility to play multiple positions on the DL and would be a great fit for Walters’ defense. -Luke

Current Recruiting Status: Tuihalamaka hasn’t publicly narrowed his list of schools yet, but some of the ones he appears to be favoring early include Arizona State, Cal, Notre Dame, and UW among others. The school that most people have their eye on for him is Notre Dame since that is where his brother is at. He will graduate before Alifeleti would be able to join/play with him there, but the family connection is strong nonetheless. The Huskies were able to get him on campus for the Ohio State game this past season, so he has legit interest in the Dawgs as well.

6) Sione Kaho

Position: QB

Height: 6’3 Weight: 210

High School: Lincoln (Tacoma, WA)

Player Overview: With an effortlessly quick release, the ball seems to explode out of Kaho’s hand whenever he throws it. In addition to a strong arm, he shows good accuracy and decision making. While he is prefers to move in the pocket to evade pressure so that he can throw it, he is still a threat with his legs and can make defenses pay for underestimating him. Watching his film, his skill has noticeably improved year over year, which is important for quarterback prospects.

Why we rated him here: Kaho, who is the top quarterback in the Northwest in the 2027 class, is a consensus 4 star quarterback. The Huskies have been after Kaho for a while and he has the talent to be QB1 for the Huskies. Getting a QB early is important for most programs as they are usually one of the more vocal recruiters in a class and help the coaching staff land other targets. Kaho would be a big pickup for the Huskies and likely help them sway some other top offensive targets to UW. -Aaron

Current Recruiting Status: Lots of schools like Cal, Duke, and Stanford have tried to come in and make waves with him, but it will be an utter shock if he doesn’t end up committing to the Huskies. Rumblings have been out there that it could be sooner rather than later.

7) Jon Ioane

Position: DL

Height: 6’3 Weight: 295

High School: Tustin (Tustin, CA)

Player Overview: It goes without saying that being such a highly rated DL prospect that Ioane is big, fast, and strong, but what makes him even more impressive is how advanced his hand fighting is for his age. He is able to use them to quickly disengage opposing OL and make plays in the backfield.

Why we rated him here: Ioane is one of the top defensive line prospects on the Husky coaches board and he has shown reciprocal interest in the Huskies (coming up to campus on multiple visits). It’s no shocker that the Huskies need to get better in the trenches and Ioane is a prototypical defensive tackle who is highly coveted. The Huskies could really bolster the talent level along the defensive line with a player like Ioane and we see him as a priority for the Huskies. -Aaron

Current Recruiting Status: Ioane recently named his top 10 that included Arizona State, Miami, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Oregon, Texas A&M, UCLA, Utah, USC, and UW. Later in the interview he went on to say that the five schools that he wants to take official visits to are Miami, Notre Dame, Oregon, USC, and UW. Among those five, he said that UW is recruiting him the hardest. While that is of course excellent news for Husky fans, USC will be extremely tough competition. Not only do they have the geographical advantage, but there are many USC fans among his family members. Cal is also gaining a lot of traction with their new coaching staff.

8) Reis Russell

Position: IOL

Height: 6’3.5 Weight: 290

High School: Valor Christian (Littleton, CO)

Player Overview: Playing everywhere on the IOL, Russell is very mobile and aggressive in run blocking. While he has great versatility to play anywhere on the IOL, his best position might be center. Fortunately that is a good problem to have for whichever OL coach he plays for.

Why we rated him here: Landen Hatchett is set to play his final season this year and with the recent departure of Zach Henning to the portal, there is no heir apparent to the center position. Russell would immediately add value as a player who has played a lot of snaps at center (many top centers play guard in HS before moving there) already and the transition would be that much easier for him. He also can play anywhere along the IOL which only adds to his value. -Luke

Current Recruiting Status: Russell is being courted by some big time programs including Alabama, Nebraska, and Oregon, but we like where the Huskies sit. Oregon offered recently and he followed up by scheduling a visit there. The Huskies are likely still the early favorite, but they will need to work hard to fend off many top programs if they hope to land him.

9) Gavin Williams

Position: Safety

Height: 6’1 Weight: 180

High School: Damien (La Verne, CA)

Player Overview: The ideal prototypical FS, Williams has tremendous ball skills, closing speed, football IQ, and can deliver big hits. He is a smooth operator in the secondary with excellent mechanics, but will come down with interceptions or crash down on opposing ball carriers.

Why we ranked him here: The staff landed a very good haul of DBs in the 2026 class, but only one true safety in Gavin Williams and he is a SS. Williams’ skill would allow him to immediately come in and compete for the spot behind RDA for a year and then make the transition to the starting role once RDA goes to the NFL. -Luke

Current Recruiting Status: Williams took in a number of gameday visits during the season including Notre Dame, Ohio State, Texas A&M, USC, and UW. In addition to those five schools, Williams has a top 10 that also includes Alabama, Michigan, Oregon, Tennessee, and Texas. Among those 10 the ones most likely to receive official visits from him over the summer are Notre Dame, Tennessee, Texas A&M, USC, and UW. USC appears to have the early lead for Williams, but with such a strong field of contenders it is far too early for any school to feel comfortable with a lead for him.

10) Gecova Doyal

Position: IOL

Height: 6’3 Weight: 270

High School: Puyallup (Puyallup, WA)

Player Overview: Since he was a freshman, Doyal has been a dominant force on the OL. Playing primarily at LT for his team, he has shown strong pass blocking skills to go along with supreme athleticism to pull and get to the second level of the defense. He is projected to slide inside at the next level and has the potential to be an all-conference guard.

Why we rated him here: The Huskies have been recruiting Doyal for several years now. Doyal, who is the top rated offensive lineman in the state in the class of 2027, is a must-get for the Huskies staff in the 2027 class. Past Husky staffs have struggled to keep the top in-state offensive line players home, which is why we are putting Doyal so high on our list (not to mention he is very very talented and can play inside or outside in college). -Aaron

Current Recruiting Status: The Huskies have been the program that have always made Doyal feel like a priority. They were the first school to visit him during the January visit period and he has been to a lot of Husky games over his HS career. With offers from Miami, Tennessee, and Texas A&M among others to consider a decision won’t come soon, but it would be surprising if the Huskies weren’t the choice in the end.

11) Tre Moore

Position: WR

Height: 6’3 Weight: 200

High School: Pflugerville Weiss (Pflugerville, TX)

Player Overview: Big, fast, and strong, Moore is a specimen at WR. He will remind Husky fans a lot of Denzel Boston, but Moore is more physically gifted than Boston was at the same age. Moore has excellent body control that he uses to win contested catches, but also has the top end speed that can even beat smaller corners.

Why we rated him here: The staff is clearly making the push to add more receivers with Moore’s body type to the room. They did it last year when they flipped Jordan Clay late in the 2026 class and with recent portal addition Christian Moss. They already have a big WR committed in Braylon Pope, but the staff appears to have developed a liking for bigger receivers lately and are looking to fill the room with more size and strength. Moore is a true alpha receiver who is also incredibly fast as well, which would make him unique compared to other bigger receivers UW has. -Luke

Current Recruiting Status: Players as good as Moore always have a host of suitors and he is no exception. He has over 30 offers including schools like Alabama, LSU, and Texas among many others. The Huskies were able to get him on campus for the Illinois game this past season which will go a long way for remaining among his favorites. With so many offers to sort through, it will take some time before he begins to narrow things down.

12) Lincoln Mageo

Position: IOL

Height: 6’4 Weight: 280

High School: Oceanside (Oceanside, CA)

Player Overview: If he got another growth spurt, Mageo could become a premier LT at the next level. He displays great lateral quickness, bend, and power as he plays LT for his HS team. Being 6’4 isn’t a deal breaker for being a top OT (see Troy Fautanu), but most programs are currently recruiting him to the IOL spot. Wherever he signs, he would likely be one of their top blocking IOL the moment he steps on campus.

Why we rated him here: As mentioned above, Mageo has all the tools of a top OL prospect and he could end up being a valuable swing piece between IOL and OT depending on what the team needs. In addition to his invaluable physical gifts, he has a strong mental fortitude and nasty streak that gets fans to love him even more. -Luke

Current Recruiting Status: He likely won’t be making a decision until after his official visits in the summer, but Arizona, Arizona State, Michigan, Ohio State, Utah, USC, and UW are the schools standing out in the early stages. USC is the local school and is a big threat, but Michigan is likely rising quickly on his list thanks to the recent coaching change as well. UW also has a special connection with him thanks to the Huskies signing his teammate Ezaya Tokio in the 2026 class.

13) Evan Mack

Position: CB

Height: 6’3 Weight: 175

High School: Crean Lutheran (Irvine, CA)

Player Overview: Mack is a lengthy and athletic CB who can provide lockdown coverage in man, zone, or press coverage. He is also a big hitter who plays with intensity. All of those traits with a 6’3 frame makes him one of the best corner prospects in the nation.

Why we rated him here: The coaches have made it widely known that they love lengthy CBs and they have really honed in on Mack to be their next one. Besides being ranked highly, the obvious appeal of having a CB like Mack is that the coaches have a lot of experience coaching big CBs like him and Husky fans have seen first hand that they know how to get the best out of them. -Luke

Current Recruiting Status: In the early stages of his recruitment Arizona, Arizona State, UCLA, USC, and UW are all doing very well with him. While he is in no rush to make his decision, he is impressed with coach Richardson’s use and development of longer corners like him. It is far to early to call UW his leader, but we like where they sit at this stage.

14) Zion White

Position: WR

Height: 6’3 Weight: 190

High School: IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL)

Player Overview: A tall and talented receiver who excels at contested catches, White is also a well rounded prospect with his deceptive speed and short area burst. While contested catches are his bread and butter, he also shows excellent body control and separation ability with his route running skills. He has drawn many comparisons to former Arizona star receiver Tetairoa McMillan.

Why we rated him here: Aaron and I usually compile our rankings before we do the write-up portion and if we had waited until after the all-star games it is very likely White would rank higher. He has been dominant even going up against the best players in the nation. There is a good chance he cracks our top 10 next time. -Luke

Current Recruiting Status: White’s unofficial top three schools are Oregon, Tennessee, and UW. He is originally from Hawaii, which would give UW and Oregon the geographical advantage if he wanted to play closer to home in college. Despite being in his top three, Oregon has not extended a scholarship offer to him. If they do, it could be tough to beat since he grew up watching the Ducks, but coach Cummings and the rest of the UW staff won’t be deterred.

15) Censere Gaylord

Position: CB

Height: 6’0 Weight: 180

High School: IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL)

Player Overview: Gaylord is a silky smooth CB who is already excellent at flipping his hips and mirroring receivers in coverage. He also displays a high football IQ making plays on the ball in the flat and in the air which showed up on the stat sheet as well. In only 9 games he had 4 INTs, 5 PDs, and 1 FF, which is even more impressive knowing that IMG blows out a lot of teams and the starters rarely play a full game.

Why we rated him here: To reclaim the title of DBU, UW needs to continue to stockpile talent at the position. Coach Richardson has done a great job of that the past two classes bringing in 4 stars like Dylan Robinson and Rahsjon Duncan, but he can’t take his foot off the gas. Gaylord is a smart and savvy corner who can play press man or zone coverage well and would thrive in Walters’ system. -Luke

Current Recruiting Status: Some of Gaylord’s top schools are Auburn, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Notre Dame, Oregon, Tennessee, and UW. Schools like Georgia are pushing him hard to stay down south, but he is originally from California and has a very high interest in both Oregon and Washington that can use that to their advantage. Gaylord has known coach J-Rich since he was in 8th grade and that bond should at least earn the Huskies an official visit over the summer and will likely keep them very much in it until the end.

16) Noah Roberts

Position: RB

Height: 6’1 Weight: 190

High School: Basha (Chandler, AZ)

Player Overview: Roberts is a truly complete RB. He has power, speed, vision, and balance as he runs with top end speed that seems to find another gear. He is also adept at catching passes and making defenders miss in open space. Anytime you draw comparisons to someone like Bijan Robinson, you know that player is worth watching.

Why we rated him here: The Huskies are always in search of quality running backs and Roberts is one of the top backs in the 2027 class out west. Adding more and more talent and Depth to the running back room is vital each and every year for the Huskies. The Huskies have had success dipping into Arizona to land quality players and Roberts is a high priority target for the Huskies. -Aaron

Current Recruiting Status: Roberts released a top 10 that included Arizona State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, USC and UW. UW was doing very well early on with Roberts, but seem to be falling down the totem pole to schools like Arizona State, Ohio State, Oregon, and USC.

17) Isala Aisa Wily-Ava

Position: Safety

Height: 6’2 Weight: 200

High School: St. John Bosco (Bellflower, CA)

Player Overview: Big, fast, and strong, while still being technically sound is a rare combination for HS players, but Wily-Ava is a rare exception. He truly is the complete package at the position, but he still has room to grow into his impressive frame and could potentially transition to an uber-athletic LB in college instead. Either way, he has a very bright future ahead of him.

Why we rated him here: The coaching staff has clearly targeted Wily-Ava as one of their top safeties on their board. With his combination of size and ability Wily-Ava looks like he could fill the role that current Husky Alex McLaughlin has (an in the box safety). It also doesn’t hurt that he is at one of the premier high schools in the country and the UW has added several players over the years from Bosco. -Aaron

Current Recruiting Status: At one point UW was the heavy favorite to get him in the boat early, but after a trip to Texas A&M the Aggies began to surge. Big time programs like Georgia, Miami, and Ohio State are also heavily after him, but UW should remain in serious contention until the very end.

18) Colton McKibben

Position: LB

Height: 6’3 Weight: 215

High School: Carlsbad (Carlsbad, NM)

Player Overview: A heat seeking missile to ball carriers and OL alike, McKibben is a bad man with even worse intentions on the football field. He already has great size at 6’3 215, but depending on how he grows, he could potentially grow out of LB. As an added bonus, McKibben is also a competitive power lifter.

Why we rated him here: It is another weaker LB class out west for 2027 and McKibben is currently only one of two 4 star prospects at the position. Of course he is a very talented player, but the talent scarcity makes him even more valuable and important. -Luke

Current Recruiting Status: The offers have been pouring in for McKibben including Michigan, Nebraska, and Oklahoma among others, but Arizona State, Texas Tech, and UW have made a positive early impression on him.

19) Zerek Sidney

Position: WR

Height: 6’0 Weight: 175

High School: Desert Edge (Goodyear, AZ)

Player Overview: If you like silky smooth receivers, then look no further. Sidney is a receiver who is built to be a fan favorite. He is advanced as a route runner, but has the alpha attitude that helps him win jump balls. He isn’t the fastest player on the field, but he is deceptively fast and makes fools of unsuspecting defenders.

Why we rated him here: I am a sucker for polished route runners at the HS level and Sidney is advanced beyond his years in the skill. He isn’t the biggest or fastest, but that always seems to be the type of receiver that defenders underestimate and get burned by. Sidney has the most important skill for a WR and one that UW seems to have missed over the past couple of seasons; he finds a way to get open. -Luke

Current Recruiting Status: Sidney announced his top five schools in November that included Arizona State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, USC, and UW. UW was his first offer and that has proved to be very fruitful for them landing recruits in the past, but all of the schools in his favorites are major contenders and none have truly separated themselves quite yet.

20) Liufau Loumoli

Position: LB

Height: 6’1 Weight: 210

High School: IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL)

Player Overview: Loumoli is a very dynamic and fluid athlete who shows a knack for being able to drop back into coverage as well as blow up opposing ball carriers. He is very disciplined and shows the instinct of a DB the way that he is able to read QB’s eyes and make plays on the ball.

Why we rated him here: With two senior LBs graduating after the 2026 season it makes sense to bring in multiple to help maintain numbers and it makes even more sense to keep the talented players home. Loumoli has been on the national radar for schools since he was a freshman due to his size and instincts at such a young age. His football IQ continues to improve and impress as he has gotten older and that is the kind of player you want in the middle of your defense. -Luke

Current Recruiting Status: Loumoli played at IMG Academy in Florida for his junior season, but he is a native of Washington and spent the first two years of his prep career at Eastside Catholic. Despite living on the opposite end of the country, he has still made it to Montlake to take in a game which shows he is clearly interested in returning home. It is too early to call UW his leader at this point, but they are doing well along with other schools like Florida State, Miami, and Ohio State among others.

21) Ty Tautolo

Position: Edge

Height: 6’4 Weight: 210

High School: Lake Stevens (Lake Stevens, WA)

Player Overview: If you aren’t going to be a super big edge, you better be fast and that is certainly Tautolo’s calling card. He knows how to get after the QB, but is smart and disciplined to set the edge as well. Although he is mainly a speedster, he has strong and heavy hands to disengage blockers to make plays on opposing ball carriers that dare come his direction. As he continues to add more pass rush moves, he will become even deadlier at the next level.

Why we rated him here: UW has struggled in the pass rush and the seem to be targeting mostly bigger edge players, but having a speed rush specialist is a huge benefit as well. UW’s all time sack leader Hau’oli Kikaha was a terror on the edge and specialized as a speed rush specialist. It is time to bring that kind of personnel back to the edge room to try and improve the pass rush in whatever way we can. -Luke

Current Recruiting Status: A lot of schools are beginning to increase their efforts to land Tautolo even more. Cal, Oregon, and Texas A&M among others are after the talented edge rusher. Fortunately for UW they have proximity on their side and he has made multiple trips for games over the past couple of years. It is still early, but we like where UW currently sits.

22) Ty Johnson

Position: WR

Height: 6’2 Weight: 205

High School: Crean Lutheran (Irvine, CA)

Player Overview: Johnson is a very impressive possession receiver who excels at 50-50 balls and uses superior body control to win those contested catches. He also runs very well with the ball for his impressive size and can make defenders miss in the open field. Johnson also is an impressive athlete in track and field as well competing in the 200M dash, long jump, and high jump.

Why we rated him here: Johnson, who was offered after camping with UW is one of the top wide receivers out west in the 2027 class. The Huskies have been trying to add more size to their wide receiver room and Johnson fits the bill (he’s listed at 6’2” and around 205 pounds). Johnson should continue to be a top wide receiver on the Huskies board as they work on putting their 2026 class together.

Current Recruiting Status: Johnson had a breakout junior season earning some big time offers including Georgia and Oregon. In a recent interview he said the schools showing the most interest included Arizona, Arizona State, Georgia, and Kansas. UW is behind at this current stage and will need to fight to get him on campus if they want a realistic shot at reeling him in.

23) Malakai Taufoou

Position: Safety

Height: 6’2 Weight: 200

High School: Junipero Serra (San Mateo, CA)

Player Overview: Displaying a very high football IQ, Taufoou is a very disciplined player and isn’t easily fooled by trick plays or misdirection. He has a nose for the ball that allows him to make big tackles or plays on the ball. He has the athletic ability and instincts to play either safety position at the next level.

Why we ranked him here: Taufoou was or very close to my favorite film I watched during the position previews and was easily my favorite DB I watched. His football IQ is off the charts and he is already technically sound on his breaks as well as his tackling form. A lot of times for HS safety prospects they are either good at tackling or coverage, but Taufoou is one of the rare few who is good at both already. -Luke

Current Recruiting Status: So far in his recruitment Arizona, Arizona State, Cal, Ohio State, Tennessee, and UW are standing out early to Taufoou. Being in the Bay Area, Cal has the proximity advantage over everyone, but after a very good weekend trip to UW during the season the Huskies are very high on his list as well.

24) DaJohn Yarborough

Position: IOL

Height: 6’5 Weight: 330

High School: Basha (Chandler, AZ)

Player Overview: Yarborough currently plays RT on a very talented Basha OL, but he best projects to the interior in college. He is extremely strong and powerful at the point of attack to go along with his impressive lateral mobility. Fans will appreciate that he has a nasty streak and plays until the whistle.

Why we rated him here: Yarborough has visited UW a couple of times unofficially which speaks to his interest and UW’s interest in him. As we all know finding quality lineman out west can be challenging and Yarborough has the size and mobility that Huskies coaches look for. UW will likely be in the hunt for Yarborough for a long time and is one of their top interior line prospects.

Current Recruiting Status: The schools standing out early to Yarborough include Alabama, Arizona State, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and UW. He took visits during the season to Arizona State, Minnesota, and UW giving them an advantage for him. Yarborough relocated to Arizona from Minnesota so neither of them can be discounted, but UW has certainly put themselves deep in the conversation.

25) Isaiah Leilua

Position: LB

Height: 6’0 Weight: 220

High School: Servite (Anaheim, CA)

Player Overview: Not the biggest LB, but he could be in the conversation for one of the fastest. Leilua isn’t just a downhill thumper either, he has an incredible burst of acceleration and lateral quickness at a truly elite level. He has a nose for the ball on every play and plays like his hair is on fire.

Why we rated him here: While I truly do like having big and lengthy LBs like ZRS, it is still nice to have a guy who is a heat seeking missile and will gladly do all the dirty work for you too. He is extremely twitchy and instinctual and reminds me of former Servite and current Husky LB Jacob Manu. -Luke

Current Recruiting Status: Leilua has pulled in some major offers from schools like Michigan, Notre Dame, and Ohio State among others, but has a trio of favorites out west in Arizona State, USC, and UW. He has said that UW is the school recruiting him hardest and having former Servite LB Jacob Manu at UW is also a draw for him. It is far from a lock for the Huskies to land him, but they have certainly put their best foot forward.

26) Zach Albright

Position: TE

Height: 6’5 Weight: 235

High School: Glacier Peak (Snohomish, WA)

Player Overview: A balanced TE who has a long history as a dynamic pass catcher, has taken on more blocking roles in his team’s offense this past season. He can line up both on the end of the line or out wide as a large WR to be a threat on every play. He uses more of his strength to dominate as a blocker at this stage rather than technique, but as he continues to develop and grow he will become even more of a weapon at the next level.

Why we rated him here: Before his junior season I would say he fit the perfect profile of what Paopao looks for in a pass catching TE. He put on 30 pounds between his sophomore and junior seasons and transformed from primarily as a pass catcher to a much more rounded TE. His blocking has improved as a result and looks to be quite the complete TE prospect. Given his improvement and continued growth both on the field and in the weight room he is a TE that would thrive under Paopao’s tutelage. -Luke

Current Recruiting Status: As a result of his hard work, schools like Michigan, Texas A&M, and Wisconsin have all taken notice of Albright and extended offers. At the end of the day though, UW was his first offer and if Paopao continues to make him a priority Albright should end up a Husky when it is all said and done.

27) J’Isaiah Mitchell

Position: WR

Height: 6’5 Weight: 180

High School: Puyallup (Puyallup, WA)

Player Overview: When you see a 6’5 WR, you would assume that he is a possession WR who excels primarily at contested catches and not much else. Of all the years we have watched film, we can’t recall a 6’5 WR lining up primarily in the slot. Mitchell is extremely elusive for his size and has excellent body control going up for catches as well as when he has the ball in his hands making guys miss in the open field. If he is able to put on more weight while keeping his speed and shiftiness, he will be an even bigger threat at the next level.

Why we rated him here: The staff already struck quickly with fellow in-state WR Braylon Pope and the staff has shown the want and need to add more size to the WR room. At a towering 6’5 Mitchell is very appealing. -Luke

Current Recruiting Status: Mitchell currently has three P4 offers; BYU, Cal, and UW and the Huskies have the clear lead for Mitchell right now. As long as the UW coaches want him, he will likely end up a Husky.

28) Matamatagi Uiagalelei

Position: DL

Height: 6’3 Weight: 240

High School: Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA)

Player Overview: The younger cousin of Matayo and DJ and the younger brother of Ta’ita’i, Matamatagi certainly has the genes to be a successful football player at the next level. He currently plays mostly on the edge right now, but he has the frame to grow into a three tech.

Why we rated him here: The Huskies need to add a couple of talented defensive line prospects every cycle and Uiagalelei is a player that will likely vault up recruiting boards this off-season heading into next year (as he becomes more of a force for Mater Dei). Listed at 6’3” and around 240 pounds he doesn’t have the weight yet to be an anchor on the inside but he projects to be more of a standup edge/5 tech similar to his brother. Getting a top player out of Mater Dei every cycle is also very important from a pipeline standpoint for UW. -Aaron

Current Recruiting Status: Although his brother won’t be at UW by the time that Matamatagi will be arriving on campus, coaches Fisch and Kaufusi have built a very strong relationship with the family. In addition to UW, Miami and UCLA are doing well early on for him.