Portal Priorities: Where could UW Huskies use veteran help in 2025?

Nov 27, 2024, 3:54 PM

UW Huskies football Michigan general huddle...

The UW Huskies gathers before a football game against Michigan Wolverines on Oct. 5, 2024. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

(Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

BY CHRISTIAN CAPLE

UW Huskies Insider

Look on the bright side when it comes to the UW Huskies’ 6-5 record at this juncture: at least Washington won’t have a College Football Playoff run distracting from portal season.

Caple: Do UW Huskies know who’s QB against No. 1 Oregon?

College football’s winter transfer-portal window opens Monday, Dec. 9 and closes Dec. 28. Jedd Fisch and his staff won’t be as busy this month as they were throughout last winter and spring, but the coach still has said the Huskies will try to add 10 or 12 transfers. That’s in addition to a 2025 recruiting class that should number close to 30.

Fisch also has said the Huskies will stay at 85 scholarships, even with the limit increasing to 105 via the House settlement. Scholarships currently committed for 2025 — current players with remaining eligibility plus committed 2025 recruits — are in parentheses. Those figures add up to more than 85 already, which obviously means there will be some amount of attrition — player-initiated or coach-initiated — that we don’t know about yet.

This is how I assessed UW’s spring portal needs back in April, when Fisch and staff were still trying to fill out the roster. Here’s how I see it at present.

Quarterback (4)

The Huskies have their 2025 starter, Demond Williams Jr., and are about to sign two high-school quarterbacks — three-star prospects Dash Beierly and Treston Kini McMillan — so any portal need would be for a backup, and that can be a pretty scant market. If Shea Kuykendall leaves for whatever reason, the portal would become a necessity. This could be a four-man room that is very light on college experience, but I can’t see Fisch wanting to use a fifth scholarship on a quarterback, if he truly does want to stick to 85.

Priority level: Low

Running back (6)

This number counts Sam Adams II, whom Fisch had mentioned among those walking on senior night, though he ultimately didn’t participate. If we assume Jonah Coleman’s return — Fisch has been quite bullish on the possibility — then UW would have a returning 1,000-yard rusher plus (possibly) Adams, a sophomore Adam Mohammed, a redshirt freshman Jordan Washington, and 2025 commitments Julian McMahan and Quaid Carr. Coleman-Mohammed could be an exciting duo atop the depth chart. A veteran (or a game-ready younger player) to add depth would be ideal.

Priority level: Medium

Wide receiver (11)

If you thought the 2024 Huskies lacked experienced receiver depth, consider what their 2025 scholarship roster looks like at present: fourth-year juniors Denzel Boston and Kevin Green Jr.; third-year sophomores Rashid Williams and Keith Reynolds; sophomore Audric Harris; redshirt freshmen Jason Robinson Jr. and Justice Williams; and four 2025 signees. There are some promising pieces there — Reynolds flashed this year, and Williams and Harris have both impressed at times in practice — but I would expect coaches to go after at least one proven playmaker to pair with Boston.

Priority: High

Offensive line (18)

Consider this number particularly fluid, because it includes the six o-line prospects currently committed in the 2025 class; we need to wait and see whether four-star tackle prospect Zac Stascausky winds up signing. Also, fifth-year junior Gaard Memmelaar walked on senior night — what that means for his future is uncertain — and you never know where other attrition might occur. Fisch is adamant about building the offensive line through high-school recruiting, and UW’s sizable 2025 haul reflects that desire, but he also has indicated the Huskies might try to bring in a veteran or two. It seems they could especially use more competition at tackle, but anyone with legit college experience could be a target.

Priority level: Very high

Tight end (6)

This is another position that coaches are trying to build through the high-school ranks; they added both Decker DeGraaf and Charlie Crowell in the 2024 class, and plan to sign another two prospects in 2025: three-stars Baron Naone and the recently committed Austin Simmons, who flipped from Washington State. (Simmons is a replacement for four-star Vander Ploog, who committed to UW in June but recently flipped to Oregon.) If we assume Quentin Moore’s return, that gives the Huskies a senior leader in the room, with DeGraaf benefiting from the experience he gained this year. But I bet Fisch and Jordan Paopao would love another Keleki Latu to lean on, too. And the scholarship number here counts Ryan Otton, who has missed the entire season due to injury and can’t seem to get healthy enough to play.

Priority level: High

Defensive line (7)

The numbers here include only one 2025 commitment, Dominic Macon from Happy Valley, Ore., though someone like three-star edge/DL commitment Caleb Smith could always wind up inside, too. Washington’s top two interior d-linemen, Sebastian Valdez and Jacob Bandes, are moving on, so the Huskies are in serious need of one or two veteran reinforcements. That’s easier said than done, of course, as starter-caliber d-linemen are among the highest-valued players in the portal, but you could argue it should be UW’s very highest priority this winter. Jayvon Parker will be coming off a September Achilles injury. His twin brother, Armon, has yet to play in a game due to injury. Logan Sagapolu has a year left. Elinneus Davis has shown promise. Maybe Bryce Butler can get more involved, and there is a lot of excitement around Omar Khan, who will be a redshirt freshman. But the portal will be key.

Priority: Very high

Edge rusher (11)

I’m counting Maurice Heims in the math here because he has a year of eligibility remaining, but he walked on senior night, so take that for what it’s worth. Regardless, the Huskies could return everybody who played regularly on the edge this season except the versatile Voi Tunuufi, and currently have commitments from three edge rushers in the 2025 class. Does that preclude a portal addition? Possibly, though UW’s pass rush wasn’t good enough this year to rule anything out. Still, if Zach Durfee, Isaiah Ward, Russell Davis II, Lance Holtzclaw, Jacob Lane, Jayden Wayne and Deshawn Lynch are all around and healthy, that’s a pretty solid crew.

Priority: Low to Medium

Linebacker (7)

Anthony Ward, Khmori House, Deven Bryant and Hayden Moore are the only scholarship linebackers able to return with any college experience, and it isn’t much. The Huskies have three linebackers committed in their 2025 class — four-star prospect Zaydrius Rainey-Sale and three-star prospects Jonathan Epperson and Donovan Robinson, assuming the versatile Robinson winds up at linebacker rather than safety — and added Moore, a Michigan transfer, over the offseason. He’ll be a third-year sophomore, but has appeared in only one college game. House impressed as a freshman and should be a starter going forward, but the Huskies badly need a veteran reinforcement or two here.

Priority: Very high

Cornerback (11)

Thaddeus Dixon moves on. Will there be additional attrition? Ephesians Prysock and Elijah Jackson each have a year of eligibility remaining. The Huskies have three cornerbacks committed in their 2025 class, and guys like Leroy Bryant, Curley Reed, Caleb Presley and Elias Johnson are still trying to make a name for themselves, too. Jordan Shaw should be back at nickel, with Dyson McCutcheon potentially backing him up (though I’ve counted McCutcheon in the safety numbers). A proven starter with interest in UW would no doubt be welcome, but I don’t see a tremendous need here.

Priority: Medium to Low

Safety (9)

Kam Fabiculanan and Cam Broussard will be gone. Makell Esteen has a year left, and Vincent Holmes stepped up to contribute this year. The staff thinks highly enough of Peyton Waters that they burned his redshirt. Expect him to be involved in 2025. Tristan Dunn will be a fourth-year junior. Paul Mencke Jr., Rahim Wright and Rahshawn Clark will all be redshirt freshmen, though Clark could also play elsewhere in the secondary. Feels like the Huskies will again be in need of a veteran safety, a la Broussard, to come in and play significant snaps.

Priority: High

Specialists (3)

Grady Gross should be back as a senior. The Huskies do have commitments from punter Tyler Prasuhn and longsnapper Hunter Solwold in the 2025 class (though I believe only Solwold will be on scholarship). Cameron Warchuck, UW’s current scholarship longsnapper, also has a year of eligibility remaining. Starting punter Jack McCallister is still a walk-on. No doubt UW needs to get better on special teams. Maybe another kicker to compete with Gross would be good for everybody? Not sure how much of a need it is, though.

Priority: Low