Everyone major program in the country will be invading the state of Washington during the 2021 recruiting cycle, it’s important that Washington football keeps these guys at home
Jimmy Lake has done a great job so far marketing the Washington football program to the ever-important class of 2021, which extends well beyond the five-star players. Let’s take a look at some of the other important guys that the Huskies need to secure a commitment from.
You know about J.T. Tuimoloau, Emeka Egbuka, and Sam Huard, but did you know that the state of Washington currently has 10 four and five-star players, and 17 players among the top 1000 players in the country per 247 Sports? Lake and his staff have already proven that they’re all over the state of Washington, so how many of these guys can they land?
Yet to offer
There are a few guys out there who deserve a Husky offer that haven’t received it yet, and hopefully, they’ll get one during the spring or early summer when the coaching staff usually extends another set of offers. The two players that have really stood out are guard Koli Faaiu at North Creek, and outside linebacker Josh McCarron at Archbishop Murphy.
Faaiu, a three-star prospect, displays outstanding power, and is a mauler in the run game. North Creek likes to have him pull from his left tackle spot, and he’s excellent at standing his man up and blocking at the second level in the run game. At 6’4, 315 pounds as a rising senior in high school, Faaiu has elite size on the interior of the line and would be a great get for the Huskies.
McCarron, a four-star, shows great athleticism and explosiveness off the ball from his outside linebacker slot. He has incredibly long arms, and knows how to use them to his advantage on both sides of the ball, but with his quick-twitch ability, he would probably be utilized best as a pass rusher.
Names to remember
Julien Simon, a top 100 rated athlete from Lincoln (Tacoma), who projects as a linebacker is a must get for the Huskies. Simon displays outstanding football IQ, and would be a perfect fit as a WILL linebacker in Pete Kwiatkowski’s defense. He has great range, is a smooth tackler, and would be excellent in both man and zone coverage in the middle of the defense.
Four-star offensive lineman Owen Prentice out of O’Dea is another must get. Currently weighing in at 6’3, 280 pounds, his tape might remind a lot of Husky fans of 2020 commit Geirean Hatchett. He’s an explosive athlete from his guard spot, and is an elite run blocker who can get downhill in a hurry. The difference between Prentice and Hatchett is that Prentice looks to be a little more developed as a pass blocker
The Kennedy Catholic dynamic duo: Junior Alexander and Jabez Tinae, have been reliable targets for Sam Huard for three years now, and they would both be great gets for the Huskies. Washington’s 2021 receiver class could end up being just as good as the 2020 class, if not better, depending on what Egbuka and Troy Franklin decide to do.
The last name for today is athlete Will Latu from Bethel, a four-star prospect who looks to be a tweener right now between linebacker and safety. Rumors have been swirling that he’s being looked at as a linebacker right now by the coaching staff, but he’s proven the ability to play safety in high school, and his ultimate position will probably end up being determined by his weight and movement abilities at that size.
The 2021 class is arguably the most important in the history of the school, and that point can’t be stressed enough. Jimmy Lake and his coaching staff can’t let these guys get away, because they can stay home and compete for a national championship at the premier program on the West Coast.