Jedd Fisch has done it again; he's landed the top player in the state of Washington. He reeled in 4-star defensive lineman Tevita Nonu, and now it's three years in a row that Fisch has pulled off keeping the top in-state player home. That's something that doesn't always or even usually happen in Washington, but Fisch is doing it.
In 2025, it was Zaydrius Rainey-Sale; in 2026, he pulled in defensive lineman Derek Colman-Brusa, and now it's Tevita Nonu. Oh, and to make it even better. Those are just the 24/7 Sports rankings; if you grab the composite ranking, it's actually wide receiver Braylon Pope from Sumner on top, and the Huskies already have a commitment from him, too.
If you look at the entire 24/7 Sports recruiting page for players in Washington, Fisch is showing his elite ability to keep the top players home.
UW and coach Jedd Fisch have now landed pledges from WA state's top player during each of the past three recruiting cycles:
— Andy Yamashita | 山下伸幸 (@ANYamashita) May 19, 2026
2025: LB Zaydrius Rainey-Sale (247/composite)
2026: DL Derek Colman-Brusa (247/composite)
2027: DL Tevita Nonu (247)/WR Braylon Pope (composite)
Washington lands 4-star Tevita Nonu, who is the best player in the state
Related: Huskies come up short for 4-star safety who commits to USC over Washington and Notre Dame
The Huskies have the No. 11 recruiting class right now in the nation with the addition of Nonu. Washington also has four of the top-10 recruits in the state (only five are currently committed). The only miss so far was an expected one with Lincoln's Sione Kaho going to Stanford. As soon as Jedd Fisch got 4-star quarterback Blake Roskopf to commit, it felt inevitable that Kaho would look elsewhere.
This is an impressive haul, and Fisch has done it year after year. One of the most important tasks of recruiting in Washington is keeping the in-state kids home. Fisch continues to do this in flying colors. Gone are the days of USC and Oregon dipping into Washington and taking the top recruits. Fisch has a wall built, and it's impressive.
Nonu is another great example of an in-state kid who has the talent to play anywhere. He had 17 offers from all over the country and chose the Huskies over Oregon, Michigan, UCLA, Penn State, and Notre Dame.
Nonu will now be part of helping secure other commitments from local talented players. He may even be part of getting 2028 Kyler Harden, who plays at the same high school: O'Dea.
At the end of the day, it's great to see the wall built and the best players staying home. Now, to turn the recruiting wins into wins on the field as Washington looks for a College Football Playoff birth in 2026 and beyond.
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