Washington football: Previewing the top rookie Huskies in the NFL

Who will the top Washington football rookies be in 2021?

In the past five NFL Drafts, Washington football has produced 24 total draft selections and four first-round picks. This past draft, the Huskies had their second-fewest players drafted in the past five years but that doesn’t minimize the potential impact that these players will have.

All four picks out of the University of Washington in the 2021 NFL Draft were on defense to no surprise. Washington knows how to produce superior defensive talent, especially in the defensive backfield.

The first two picks out of Washington in the draft were first-rounder Joe Tryon and second-rounder Levi Onwuzurike. Two players who both opted out of the 2020 season but are hungry to get on the field again. The other two picks, defensive backs Elijah Molden and Keith Taylor, were in the third and fifth rounds, respectively.

Molden will have the chance to make a name for himself on a rotational basis with the Tennessee Titans while we could see Keith Taylor struggle for a roster spot in Carolina.

Some former Huskies who have already been making an impact in the league in the past few years and recently are linebacker Shaq Thompson, safety Budda Baker, cornerback Marcus Peters, and offensive tackle Kaleb McGary, among others.

Who comes out on top has yet to be decided but we certainly have our best guest. Let’s preview each draft pick out of Washington leading up to the 2021 season.

Joe Tryon leads the Washington football 2021 draft class

In the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ first preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Bengals made the mistake of leaving 32nd overall pick Joe Tryon unblocked on a crucial 2nd-and-long play.

While the incredible play by Tryon was wiped due to an unnecessary roughness penalty on the quarterback, his ability to disrupt the pocket was noteworthy. Tryon even finished the play with a magnificent somersault.

Tryon opted out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic and instead decided to prepare for the NFL Draft. Before the Buccaneers’ preseason game, Tryon hadn’t played a game of football in nearly two years. Following the game, he proved he can still be a very capable pass rusher

Elijah Molden

When the Tennessee Titans drafted defensive back Elijah Molden with the 100th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, some draft experts referred to the selection as one of the biggest steals in the draft.

As one of the many recent defensive talents to come out of the University of Washington, Molden joins an overhauled secondary in Tennessee. He is currently listed as a third-stringer behind Janoris Jenkins, Kristian Fulton, Caleb Farley, Chris Jackson, and Breon Borders.

It was just a few days ago that Molden caught the attention of NFL Twitter when a clip was shared of him intercepting a pass from Tom Brady in a joint practice with the Buccaneers. Ironically, the receiver he was covering was another Husky alum, Jaydon Mickens.

Molden will likely spend the majority of his time as the slot corner, a position he excelled at in college. He also has experience playing as the single-high safety so it will be interesting to see where the Titans decided to plug and play him. Considering he is a bit undersized, he will likely stick to his usual position in the slot.

Levi Onwuzurike is another Washington football player ready to make an impact

Levi Onwuzurike was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Onwuzurike joined Washington football teammate Joe Tryon in his opt-out of the 2020 college football season.

After shaking off a bit of rust and recovering from a back injury, Onwuzurike looks ready to go. At Washington, he had 95 total tackles, 16 tackles for loss, and seven sacks. He is a player who did exceptionally well as a gap controller against the run in college and who has the ability to do even more at the pro level.

Onwuzurike stated that his back injury is a lingering issue from his college days and that it isn’t a major cause for concern.

The Lions need a difference-maker on their defense and a disruptor like Onwuzurike could easily be that guy for them.

Keith Taylor

Keith Taylor was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft and joins fellow Washington football alum, Shaq Thompson in Carolina.

The Panthers have a quite a full secondary and Taylor will likely only see some action on special teams. While Taylor is strong in outside press coverage, he has a lot to work on if he wants to make the final roster.