Washington Huskies Football 2022 Recruiting Update
The Washington Huskies are getting ready for summer camp beginning on July 27. In the meantime, UW coaches are busy recruiting for 2022 as well.
Even though it’s summer, the Washington Huskies coaching staff is busy recruiting their next wave of players. Most high school recruits had limited game action in 2020-21. That makes the job even harder.
For the 2021 class, the Huskies signed 16 players to scholarships down from most seasons when they sign from 22 to 25 high schooler prospects. I could see UW signing around the 22 scholarship mark or slightly less this time around. Of the 16 players signed for 2021, at least 10 might redshirt. That’s due to the large number of Husky seniors who returned for the 2021 season after the NCAA granted an extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19.
Commits
Right now, the Washington Huskies have only six commitments for 2022. Germie Bernard, a wide receiver out of Henderson, Nevada, is UW’s only four-star recruit and listed in ESPN’s top 300. According to 247sports.com reporter Blair Angulo, Benard has excellent lower body strength and the chance to make big plays after the catch. If Bernard has an area of improvement, it’s overall speed.
Three players committed to Washington rank as three stars by ESPN. Two of them are from Pierce County, Washington. They are offensive tackle Vega Loane from Graham and tight end/H-back Chance Bogan from Lincoln High School in Tacoma. The third member of the trio is Jackson Stratton. The 6-4 quarterback from La Jolla, California, excels as a pocket passer.
The other two UW commits are both guards and are unranked by ESPN. However, Rivals.com ranked Parker Brailsford out of Scottsdale, Arizona, as a three-star prospect. According to Dawgman.com, Brailsford was recruited by offensive line coach Scott Huff who liked his style of play and aggressiveness. He’s the type of player the Huskies look for on their line.
Another Huff recruit is Mark Nabou, a local player from O’Dea high school in Seattle. 24/7 has Nabou as a three-star talent. Even though O’Dea is primarily a running team, Nabou made big strides in pass blocking (Dawgman.com). The big guard was recruited by several Pac-12 schools, including Oregon State, who had the most interest outside of Washington.
In process
The Washington Huskies are currently recruiting 18 players listed ESPN’s top 300. The most notable name is tight end Ryan Otton of Tumwater. Ryan’s older brother, Cade Otton, is the Huskies starting tight end and an All-American candidate. UW is a favorite to land Ryan in part because of his brother. Also, because the younger Otton is familiar with the team.
What the Huskies like about Ryan is that he plays a lot like his older brother, Cade. Washington is big on tight ends who can block well as catch the ball. It’s why several former Huskies currently play tight end in the NFL. And NFL prep is a good reason to come to Washington. It’s not a done deal as several other schools are hot on Otton’s trail.
Due to high wide receiver turnover, the Huskies are trying to restock talent at the position. They are in the hunt for four of ESPN’s top 300. Included in the group is Union High School (Camas, WA) product, Tobias Merriweather. Notre Dame is also heavily recruiting Merriweather, according to Sports Illustrated.
The Fighting Irish want Merriweather’s long arms, strong hands, and leaping ability in South Bend. It would be great if the Washington Huskies can get a player like Merriweather. The fact he’s in-state is a bonus. One advantage Washington has in signing receivers is the opportunity to catch passes from 2021’s top-rated QB prospect Sam Huard.
Related Story: Washington Huskies 2021 NFL Class
During the fall, all high school programs will be back to normal levels of training and games. Throughout the year, we will look at any additional players committing to UW and those who are still considering the Washington Huskies. Go Dawgs!