On Thursday, while Washington’s fanbase exploded in turmoil over the return of Demond Williams Jr., head coach Jedd Fisch quietly landed another commitment from the transfer portal. Cornerback Emmanuel Karnley, who originally committed to Fisch’s Wildcats in 2022, could make an immediate impact in Washington’s depleted secondary.
Washington is expected to sign Virginia cornerback Emmanuel Karnley. Signed with Jedd Fisch and Arizona in 2023, had a brief stop at Miami before recording 26 tackles, eight pass breakups and an interception for the Cavaliers this past season https://t.co/Yc34H148TS pic.twitter.com/ED6wtImjKJ
— Brandon Huffman (@BrandonHuffman) January 8, 2026
Karnley, a 6-foot-3, 184-pound native of Antioch, Calif., was rated a three-star prospect in the class of 2023. He earned 10 FBS offers, including one from Washington, but ultimately chose Fisch and Arizona in Dec. 2022. After redshirting in 2023, Karnley started six games for a Fisch-less Wildcats squad in 2024, finishing with 16 tackles and five passes defended.
In Dec. 2024, Karnley transferred to Miami, where he spent only the spring semester before transferring to Virginia in April 2025. He started all season for the Cavaliers, finishing with 26 total tackles, one interception, and eight passes defended. He experienced some early struggles, especially with tackling, but showed steady improvement throughout his one season in Charlottesville. As a result, 247Sports gave Karnley a three-star rating and respectable transfer grade of 87 when he entered the transfer portal on Monday.
Karnley could be an immediate starter at one of Washington’s thinnest positions
Cornerback was a position of significant need for Washington entering the offseason. Last year’s two starting cornerbacks, seniors Tacario Davis and Ephesians Prysock, are both headed to the NFL Draft. The Huskies are also set to lose major contributor Leroy Bryant to the transfer portal, though he’s yet to announce his next destination.
With those three gone, Fisch was wise to look to the transfer portal for help. Dylan Robinson, who will be a true sophomore in 2026, was the only other Husky cornerback to record more than a single tackle in 2025. Robinson, who started five games in place of an injured Davis, finished the year with 16 total tackles, one sack, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and one pass defended.
Will it be Karnley and Robinson manning the edges of Washington’s defense? The presence of two 6-foot-3 cornerbacks roving the backfield could certainly cause problems for opponents trying to push the ball downfield. However, we’re only halfway through this round of portal craziness, and it’s very possible Fisch and company bring in more options to provide some much-needed depth at the position.