Washington Football recruiting five bold predictions July 2017

Dare to fail. After June 2017 results of my Washington Football recruit predictions, time to go back out on the limb with five new bold recruiting predictions for July 2017

Washington Football recruiting is certainly piquing the interest of football athletes contemplating NCAA football. And why not?  The Washington Huskies are a defending Pac-12 champion, they competed in the NCAA playoffs, and they have some of the best coaching in college football.

But it seems to me that the toughest task is repeating the success of year one.  As proficient of a team last season, the true test to this program is what about year two?  NCAA football, much like music’s top-40, has plenty of examples of one-hit wonders.

Test mettle

On one hand, now the team has expectations of success. On the other hand, the element of surprise is not in their favor. And finally, the schedule will not be as easy, as virtually every team will rise to the challenge of testing their own mettle against that of the Washington Football team.

And prospects have the difficult task of determining whether the success was sustainable, or the trajectory of a shooting star.  But the reality is this: The Washington Football team (all Washington athletic sports for that matter) had a tremendous showing when placing football recruits into the NFL.

Five Bold July Predictions

First Prediction: Washington Football 2018 recruiting will get a commitment from an defensive lineman.
Second Prediction: The Huskies will extend an offer for 2019
Third Prediction: USC will not prevail in poaching any Washington Football commits.
Fourth Prediction: (try this again) The Defense will get commitments from 1 to 3 players (not defensive linemen)
Fifth Prediction: The Washington Huskies will get a commitment from a running back.

First Prediction: Washington Football 2018 recruiting will get a commitment from an defensive lineman.

There. I said it.  I got this wrong for June 2017, and I may very well get it wrong for July 2017. But the need is real, and the coaching staff knows this.

The team is working hard to lock down commitments for the 2018 recruiting class. The team has made six offers to uncommitted athletes. Of that number, three (50 percent) have shown reciprocal interest.  So who are they?  Tommy Togiai , Jackson Cravens, and  Caleb Tremblay.

Autzen Zoo

Prospects on prospects

Tommy Togiai is a 6-foot-3 290 pound defensive tackle from Pocatello, Idaho who would be an excellent player to fill the void of expected-to-enter-the-NFL-Draft Vita Vea. If he commits now, he would be a huge asset for the team in 2018.

Jackson Cravens is a 6-foot-3 275 defensive tackle from Provo, Utah.  His production speaks for itself.  While not as big as Togiai, he had 13 sacks and 160 tackles last season.  He is planning a visit soon.

Caleb Tremblay is a 6-foot-5 275 pound defensive lineman from Sacramento,  California.  While his hat was tossed into the ring most recently, he adds a lot of intrigue.   At his height and weight, he could play either defensive tackle or defensive end.

Urgent need

Not only is he versatile on the field, but having graduated, he could be considered a member of the 2017 or 2018 recruiting class.  That is huge for a program with urgent need to fill that position now.

Whomever commits, the team will surely roll out the red carpet for him.  But with the team in need for the position, you can bet the door for more will remain open.  One will step up in July.

Second Prediction: The Huskies will extend an offer for 2019

While the coaches focus on assembling the roster for 2018, there will be efforts to attract 2019 talent as well.  In fact, the Washington Football coaches have already begun the search for 2019 class commitments.  So far the team has 22 offers out.

So why just one? Or even, why one at all?

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Washington loves to find talent that has not yet appeared on the national radar.  First to arrive and stay committed to an athlete speaks volumes to their eventual consideration.  And right now, the athletes projected for the recruiting class of 2019 are not obvious.

Washington Football coaches have unique criteria

That’s just how Washington Football coaches like it.

So far, they’ve managed to uncover the talent which fits the program best.  That may run counter to the national rankings. It may result in a lower ranked class overall. But unless the program is Alabama, the rankings of recruits does not result in the best football team.

Washington Huskies know this. They are about heart, passion, and desire.  In the college ranks, the player who wants it more makes all the difference in the world.

And the Huskies coaches simply seek out the players who want it most of all. While that all takes time, one more 2019 athlete will have what it takes to earn a University of Washington scholarship offer.

Third Prediction: USC will not prevail in poaching any Washington Football commits.

USC is seeking help at quarterback now.  Whenever USC has a hole in their recruiting class, the first stops from their coaches are the recruits from other Pac-12 teams.  USC lost a top-rated quarterback when Matt Corral decommitted.

The first target was UCLA’s commit quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson.  Denied, they then moved to Utah’s commit quarterback Jack Tuttle.  Finally, right on cue, USC began to recruit Washington commit quarterback Jacob Sirmon. But to borrow a line from the first Star Wars movie: “These aren’t the droids you’re looking for. You can go about your business. Move along.”

Leader of the pack

Jacob Sirmon understands his position with his class. He is the leader.  The team is using his skills as the cornerstone for the building of a championship competing team.  His role now is to form bonds with his future teammates.

The scare is just that… a scare. USC will not poach a Washington football player in July 2017.

Fourth Prediction: (try this again) The Defense will get commitments from 1 to 3 players (not defensive linemen)

Here’s another prediction where I feel the timing just let me down.  The Washington Huskies have offers out to nearly two dozen defensive players.  From that number, as many as ten linebackers and defensive backs are interested in Washington.

So when will they make up their minds? Well, from my perspective, July 2017 would be a great time to do so.

Defense wins championships

Defensive players are the bread and butter of a Pac-12 champion.  Offense is needed yes. But in the end, outscoring opponents will only get you so far.  Ultimately, the Huskies will need to stop their opponents from scoring.

It’s clear from the number of scholarship offers extended that the defense is truly a priority now.  And there are plenty of openings in 2018.
But recruiting is about building trust, and relationships.  That’s how Washington coaches get the right fit.

Right fit

And so, the key to building the best competitive team is not simply to pick the best athletes from a list.

It all starts with the plan What type of team do you want to send onto the football field?  Then, you find the players to fit that scheme. That’s how the Washington coaches do it. They know what they want. Now they need to find defensive players to fit the order.

Linebackers and defensive backs will be warmly welcomed. So what’s it going to take?

Patience.  One or more commits in July 2017.

Fifth Prediction: The Washington Huskies will get a commitment from a running back.

With his likely last year playing for Wahington, running back Myles Gaskin is looking at a season to dominate NCAA football. As a matter of fact, he very likely will. That means, his name will likely be called in the 2018 NFL Draft, and that will create a void in the roster.
So who will step in to fill his spot?  The team has a commitment from Trey Lowe , a 5-foot-9 174 pound back out of Portland Oregon.

But Gaskin is tough to fill the shoes of with just one back. Right now, the team has two running backs warming up to the Huskies.

Two RBs showing interest

On one hand, the first is 6-foot-1 218 pound Chris Brown out of Oceanside California. Brown is a solid runner, at the right size to endure the tough between the tackle runs. He has ten offers on the table for scholarships, but he is leaning towards Washington.

On the other hand, the second is 6-foot-1 183 pound Richard Newton out of Palmdale California. Newton is a longer framed yarder, and his long strides chew up gains quickly.  The Huskies were his first scholarship offer, and he is no loss for words when he talks about it.

Next: Washington Football DE Steve Emtman Named Athlon Top 50 College Football Players

While either would be fine additions to the team, one will commit in July 2017.

Okay. That’s it for this month. We’ll review again in a month and when we do, I will have five more prognostications to offer your way.