SEATTLE — The Washington Huskies regained the distinction of possessing the largest 2019 recruiting class in the Pac-12 Conference after receiving a commitment Monday from three-star defensive tackle Noa Ngalu. Adding Ngalu, who took an unofficial visit to Montlake last weekend, gives the Huskies a conference-best seven pledges going into the final week of spring practices.
He becomes the second recruit to join the Huskies in the last eight days. Composite three-star defensive lineman Sama Paata committed April 8 to UW.
Ngalu, who is 6-foot-2 and 280 pounds, is considered by 247 Sports to be the composite No. 44 defensive tackle in the nation. The Menlo Park Menlo-Atherton (California) star is also considered to be the No. 67 overall prospect in the state of California. He entertained offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Illinois, Utah and Washington State before selecting UW.
He’s coming off a junior year when he finished with 63 tackles, 17.0 tackles for loss and 6.0 sacks.
UW’s class, prior to Ngalu’s decision, was the Pac-12’s No. 1 class and the 17th best class in the nation, per 247’s rankings. The class keeps the top spot in the conference and is now the No. 14 group in America.
The Huskies’ sizable edge over the rest of the Pac-12 diminished considerably over the last week. UW’s class featured the most members as of a week ago but going into late Monday evening, Washington was tied with California for the most commits in the conference with six.
Cal went from having one commitment at the start of April to receiving five in the span of three days. The Golden Bears temporarily pulled even with the Huskies when Livermore (California) tight end Bradley Archer committed earlier in the day. Cal now has the No. 2 class in the Pac-12 and the 25th best group nationally.
UW and Cal are followed by Colorado with four. Both Oregon and Oregon State each have two commitments. Arizona, Stanford, USC, Utah and WSU each have one. Arizona State and UCLA do not have a single pledge, according to 247.
Four-star quarterback and Graham-Kapowsin star Dylan Morris along with composite three-star Eastside Catholic offensive tackle Nathaniel Kalepo were the class’ first two commitments. Cameron Davis, a three-star running back from Upland (California), joined the group in late January.
Corey Luciano, a three-star Diablo Valley College (California) offensive lineman, was the next to verbal. He was followed by three-star Westlake (California) cornerback Kamren Fabiculanan. Paama, who plays at Kaimuki (Hawai’i), was the newest member until Ngalu’s arrival.
The Huskies will enter the 2018 season with 12 defensive lineman yet stand to lose three players — Shane Bowman, Greg Gaines and Jaylen Johnson — to graduation.
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