Brock Huard: Where UW Huskies’ Jedd Fisch continues to excel

For three straight recruiting classes under Jedd Fisch, the top in-state recruit in Washington has committed to the UW Huskies.

In the 2025 class, the Huskies landed Bethel High School four-star linebacker Zaydrius Rainey-Sale, who was the state’s top recruit according to 247Sports’ composite rankings.

In the 2026 class, UW landed Kennedy Catholic High School four-star edge rusher Derek Colman-Brusa, who again was the state’s top recruit in 247Sports’ composite rankings.

And in the 2027 class, the Huskies have now landed commitments from two players who hold a claim to being the state’s top recruit.

The first commitment came in December from Sumner High School four-star wide receiver Braylon Pope, who was the state’s top 2027 recruit in 247Sports’ composite rankings. And the second commitment came Tuesday from O’Dea High School four-star defensive lineman Tevita Nonu, who is the state’s top 2027 recruit in 247Sports’ own rankings.

(247Sports’ own rankings are different from their composite rankings, which take rankings from each of the industry’s major recruiting services and compile them into a consensus ranking.)

Fisch’s ability to keep the state’s top recruits at home has been a key part of his overall recruiting success since taking over as UW’s head coach in January 2024.

According to 247Sports’ composite program rankings, the Huskies’ 2025 recruiting class ranked No. 23 and both their 2026 and 2027 recruiting classes currently rank No. 13.

Prior to Fisch’s arrival, UW’s best-ever 247Sports composite ranking was No. 15 under College Football Hall of Fame-bound coach Chris Petersen in 2019.

“Every (coach), they all have strengths and weaknesses,” former UW quarterback Brock Huard said during Wednesday’s Blue 88 segment on Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk. “Jedd’s strength is recruiting and selling. He does an amazing job. … The (past three recruiting classes are) 23rd, 13th and 13th.

“Chris Petersen got to 15th in one class, 16th in one class, but never lived in that kind of area, and never could quite put the fence around the state like Jedd has been able to do now the last three years.”

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