As the college football recruiting campaign moves into its final day, the University of Washington is poised to add 17 players to its roster for the 2016 season.
Maybe more if the Huskies get lucky at the 11th hour. And possibly less if that luck goes the other way.
As always in recruiting, nothing is ever settled until players put their signatures on national letters-of-intent, which they can begin doing Wednesday morning. But if the day unfolds as expected, the Huskies are expected to sign a class that is smaller than most years — typically they add between 20 and 25 players — but also one brimming with potential.
Due to the smaller size, “it might not be rated as highly (nationally and in the Pacific-12 Conference),” said Greg Biggins, a recruiting analyst for Fox Sports and Scout.com. “But in terms of overall talent (the Huskies) did a great job. That staff has clearly shown they can recruit.”
In future recruiting seasons, Biggins added, UW head coach Chris Petersen and his assistants “are definitely going to be a force.”
The Huskies expect to pick up every player in Washington they pursued with the exception of Lake Stevens High School quarterback Jacob Eason, who has already enrolled at Georgia. The in-state players include cornerback Isaiah Gilchrist of Bellevue High School; punter Van Soderberg of Olympia’s Capital High School; defensive end Amandre Williams of Maple Valley’s Tahoma High School; safety Taylor Rapp of Bellingham’s Sehome High School; and Brandon Wellington from Sammamish and Eastside Catholic High School who could play linebacker, defensive back or running back.
Washington also has commitments from seven California players, including three that Biggins says have the chance to be college standouts _ cornerback Kentrell Love from Corona, offensive lineman Lute Wattenberg from San Juan Capistrano, and linebacker Camilo Eifler from Oakland.
“Kentrell Love just has a long, lean, athletic body, he’s super tough and physical, and he plays with a real attitude and edge,” Biggins said. “I’m not comparing him, but he kind of has that same frame that Richard Sherman has. He’s 6-2, he’s real fluid and he can run.”
Wattenberg “has a chance to be an All-Pac-12 guy,” Biggins went on. “He’s just extremely athletic, he has a great frame, he’s real good laterally, and he just plays with what I think is a perfect mindset to be an elite Pac-12 tackle.”
As for Eifler, “he’s got every physical tool you could want. Plus he’s a tough kid. … He’s got a chance to be real special.”
Because college recruiting is less than an exact science, less heralded players sometimes turn into stars a few years later. Asked for a dark-horse pick in Washington’s class, Biggins pointed to wide receiver Jordan Chin from West Hills, Calif., who committed after picking up a UW offer just over a week ago.
“He’s a track guy who’s got real good speed,” Biggins said. “He’s a legit 4.4 guy (in the 40-yard dash) and he is a real fluid athlete, too. I wouldn’t be surprised if in a couple of years he was really contributing.”
The Huskies are still in the running, though apparently not the frontrunners, for two uncommitted players, plus a third who is committed but reportedly wavering. Tight end Devin Asiasi and defensive lineman Boss Tagaloa, teammates from prestigious De La Salle High School in Concord, Calif., will both make signing-day decisions and both have Washington as a finalist.
Biggins sees Tagaloa as “a pretty solid UCLA lean,” but is less certain about Asiasi. “I wouldn’t be surprised if (Asiasi) chose any of his final four schools — Washington, USC, UCLA and Michigan.” Biggins said he was also chatting with a coach from a rival school “and they still feel Washington has a good chance to get in there (for Asiasi).”
Meanwhile, the Huskies have apparently not let up in their efforts to coax wide receiver N’Keal Harry from Chandler, Ariz., out of his commitment to Arizona State. Harry is friends with Byron Murphy of nearby Scottsdale, Ariz., who committed to Washington two weeks ago.
That said, ASU is still trying to persuade Murphy to switch his commitment, “and I know there’s some nervousness (among UW coaches) about him. Arizona State is still recruiting him really, really heavily,” Biggins said.
“I think there’s a better chance of Byron Murphy going (to ASU) than of N’Keal Harry coming (to Washington),” he added. But if Harry opted for the Huskies “that wouldn’t surprise me because that was probably his No. 2 choice.”
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