Meet the 19 Newly Signed UW Football Players
Recruiting signing day for college football teams such as the University of Washington is a lot like a candy store giveaway. Everything tastes so sweet and you tend to eat way too much.
With that in mind, Husky coach Kalen DeBoer, who actually admits to having lost 35 pounds since last summer, sat down and addressed his 15 high school signees and another four from the transfer portal on Wednesday.
“It’s a combination of just bringing in elite talent,” DeBoer said. “I think with the athleticism, there are certain things we were focused on, especially with certain positions. It might be length, athleticism, production, or guys who can get on the field sooner than later.”
The UW coach said his staff could sign up to five more high schoolers and/or transfers over the next few days, with compliance paperwork holding up a few at the moment. There was no word on whether high school edge rusher Dominic Kirks from Painesville, Ohio, or Arizona State defensive tackle B.J. Green, both previously committed, would be joining the Huskies.
The prize of these 19 UW newcomers would be former Mississippi State quarterback Will Rogers, who will be entrusted with replacing the Huskies’ Heisman Trophy runner-up in Michael Penix Jr. The UW is hoping for a seamless transfer of the position.
“They’ve got a lot of experience, a lot of yards, a lot of checks that they’ve made, a lot of big moments,” the coach said of the two QBs. “There’s probably more similarities than there are differences. I think similarities are being a very accurate passer.”
DeBoer broke down the appeal to each of the 19 players, which we’ll list here in alphabetical order, with updated dimensions and a coach’s comment attached to each:
THE NEW 19 HUSKIES
Davit Boyajyan, OT, 6-5, 294, Clovis North High School, Clovis, Calif. DeBoer told how he lived a few blocks from Boyajyan when he coached at Fresno State and how this lineman is a late bloomer. Comment: “He’s a big, massive human. The guy has a quick first step.”
Ratumana Bulabalavu, ER, 6-4, 285, Army and Navy Academy, Carlsbad, Calif. This San Diego-area prospect had 19 sacks as a senior and has the potential to be very disruptive. Comment: “With his length, his change of direction as a big guy, a range with some good weight on him, I think the sky’s limit for him.”
Noah Carter, ER, 6-4, 228, Centennial HS, Peoria, Ariz. — The Arizona Defensive Player of the Year had 11 sacks, plus he caught 8 TD passes and returned 2 punts for scores. Comment: “With Noah, seeing him return punts for touchdowns and catching fades as a wide receiver, he’s an elite player all the way around.”
