Huskies Land Commitment From Coveted 2027 Offensive Line Target Reis Russell
The Washington Huskies football team received its first offensive lineman commitment from the Class of 2027 on Monday.
Reis Russell, a three-star interior line prospect from Valor Christian (Littleton, Colo.) chose UW over Georgia, Miami and USC. With recent additions of Russell and Glacier Peak (Snohomish, Wash.) tight end Zach Albright, Washington head coach Jedd Fisch’s 2027 class stands at No. 10 in the 247Sports composite rankings.
Defense Rules Huskies ‘Dawgs After Dark’ Spring Game
It was a beautiful night for some football, even if the football itself wasn’t always a potential pageant winner.
That’s the nature of spring football when a team is expected to have a good defense, as the Washington Huskies plan to roll out when the season begins against Washington State in the Apple Cup on Sept. 5.
With Corgi races, head coach Jedd Fisch playing emcee at times, a few guest kickers and some big plays on defense and offense, Purple got the better of Gold in Friday’s “Dawgs After Dark” spring game, 27-10 at Husky Stadium.
Most importantly, there was some actual football in Friday’s culmination of five weeks of spring football, and no apparent injuries.
Washington Huskies Linebackers Confidence in Defense ‘Through the Roof’
At one point last fall, the linebacker situation for the Washington football team could have filled an orthopedic wing in a hospital.
Jacob Manu and Zaydrius Rainey-Sale wore heavy knee braces as they recovered from knee injuries at their prior schools. Starting inside linebacker Taariq Al-Uqdah suffered one of his own in the Apple Cup, leaving the position to be filled by the unknown quantities of Xe’ree Alexander and Deven Bryant.
Seven months later, most of the knee braces are gone, and inside linebacker is arguably the strongest unit on the team.
Huskies’ Denzel Boston and Tacario Davis Headed for Ohio
Denzel Boston is used to fighting for opportunities in a crowded wide receiver room.
The leading receiver for the Washington Huskies will attempt to do the same after the Cleveland Brown selected the 6-4 junior with the seventh pick in the second round (No. 39 overall). Cleveland also chose Texas A&M receiver KC Concepcion No. 24 overall in the first round.
“I think that we’re going to bring a good mix of explosiveness and having explosive plays after explosive plays,” said Boston on a call with Cleveland area media. “Both of us have generated tons of touchdowns throughout our college careers. So, I think those are the two things for sure you can look forward to.”
‘No Ceiling’ for Huskies Sophomore Cornerback Dylan Robinson
Dylan Robinson’s first start was quite a Big Ten baptism last year.
With senior cornerback Tacario Davis sidelined by injury, it was up to the true freshman to start against No. 1 Ohio State in a sold-out Husky Stadium. It wouldn’t be accurate to call it a baptism by fire, though, because he never really got burned by the Buckeyes and their receiving corps of first-round picks.
“I knew that my plan was to come in freshman year, and everyone's dream is to play the biggest game,” said Robinson after UW’s 10th spring ball practice on Tuesday. “Ohio State was the number one in the nation at that time. So I was just really blessed and grateful to be in those shoes, and I was just trying to keep football football.”
Freshmen Ready to Seize Starting Roles for Huskies for 2026 Football Season
Not long ago, the thought of playing a true freshman left tackle or defensive lineman sounded like desperation or a potential disaster.
For the Jedd Fisch-led Washington Huskies football team — and more and more across college football — it’s becoming the norm. Many things have changed since Don James paced the sidelines at Husky Stadium. Among them is the philosophy of playing freshman, which he once humorously stated should be played “when they are seniors.”
There’s no time for that in modern-day college football. Players come in physically ready to contribute, and you never know how long they’ll be in the program. Coaches can either play them — while paying them — or spend time grooming them to potentially contribute another coach at another school.
Left tackle Kodi Greene and 17-year-old defensive tackle Derek Colman-Brusa headline a group of true freshmen who will contribute in meaningful ways to Washington’s 2026 season. They don’t look like freshmen who should be lining up dinner reservations for high school senior prom instead of against each other at Huskies spring ball and preparing for starting roles.
Huskies ‘Freak’ Freshman Left Tackle Kodi Greene Appears Ready to Block
SEATTLE, Wash. — Huskies left guard John Mills knows a thing or two about freak freshman.
He proved to be one last year, when he earned freshman All-American honors as a starter for the University of Washington football team as a 17-year-old. He sees something similar in Kodi Greene, who appears on track to start as a true true freshman at left tackle in the season-opening Apple Cup on Sept. 5
“He's an absolute stud,” said Mills after UW’s eighth spring ball practice on Thursday. “I'm so proud of just the way he's come in and worked every single day. He's never taken anything for granted. And he came in, he asked all the questions. He works in the weight room, and he works on the field. So I'm sure you guys can see he's an absolute baller.”
Working immediately with the first team from the opening practice, Green has held onto the spot. There’s much to learn before September, but the 6-6 321-pound 18-year-old has shown rare athleticism and effort since arriving at UW in January.
Washington Huskies Take Over Seahawks Practice Facility
Jedd Fisch’s “Be a Pro” mantra got a little extra flavor on Tuesday, as the Washington Huskies football team practiced at the Seahawks’ practice facility for Day 7 of spring football.
With rain showers threatening, and the softball team scheduled to use Dempsey Indoor practice facility according to a UW source, the Huskies loaded up buses and headed for the Virginia Mason Athletic Center. Fisch and the Seahawks seem to have a good working relationship, as evidenced by Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald’s recent appearance as a guest at UW’s Be a P.R.O. coaching clinic earlier this month. Washington leveraged that friendship for an apparent day-of change of venue, where the defense had a solid day near an opposite Lake Washington shoreline.
Huskies Rebuilt Defensive Line Taking Shape During Spring Ball
A lot of things have changed since Elinneus Davis boarded a plane for the first time in his life to visit a school 1,400 miles away from his hometown of Moorhead, Minnesota.
Since that June day in 2022, he’s seen coaches come and go, along with every defensive lineman he got to know when he started practicing in 2023. For the second straight year, the Washington Huskies football team will feature a defensive line with mostly new faces.
He’s used to the changes, just like when he learned to handle air travel. It’s not easy at first, but one gets used to it.
Huskies Talented, Inexperienced Receivers Battle for Roles During Spring Ball
The Washington Huskies football game at Wisconsin last season served as the low point for many.
For receiver Rashid Williams, it was the lowest of the low.
After setting himself apart during 2025 spring and fall camps, Williams earned the starting “Z” receiver position and opened the season with four catches in a 38-21 win over Colorado State. A week later he caught a 27-yard pass on the offense’s first play against UC Davis that ultimately served as the beginning of the end when he broke his collarbone at the end of the play.
That was a low, but things would get lower. After two months of healing and rehab, Williams came back, ready to regain his place in the Huskies offense as the 6-2 team tried to get back into the College Football Playoff conversation. Williams never made it onto the field at Camp Randall, though. He suffered a second injury during practice when his hand got caught in a teammate’s facemask.
Season over.
Huskies Ready to Pad Up and Find Out ‘Who the Real Dawgs Are’
SEATTLE, Wash. — The first two days of Huskies spring football show a team that looks ready to take another step or two forward this season.
They look big, fast, lively and engaged. Practices move quickly, with virtually no wasted time as players move from drill to drill, station to station.
Washington’s second-year defensive coordinator Ryan Walters wants to see more, however. He’ll get that opportunity on Saturday, when UW players put on pads for the first time this spring and pop each other during live sessions.
“This is fake football out here right now. We’re out here in shorts and T-shirts. That’s not how the game is played. We’ll find out who the real dawgs are.”
Huskies’ Offensive Line, Freshmen Roles Take Shape at First Day of Spring Ball
SEATTLE, Wash. — It’s a long time before the Huskies begin the 2026 season with the Apple Cup, but Washington appears ready to roll with true freshmen at key spots on the offensive and defensive lines.
UW coaches wasted no time on Day 1 of spring ball giving five-star recruit Kodi Greene the first crack at left tackle while rolling out the highest-rated in-state recruit, Derek Colman-Brusa, in the middle of the defensive line with the first team.
The team’s not in pads yet, so there will undoubtedly be dog days that lie ahead for the youngsters. But these aren’t your typical freshmen. Greene, listed at 6-6, 321 pounds, appeared to move like very few humans that size. Similarly, Derek Colman-Brusa fit right in at defensive tackle at 6-5, 295 pounds.
"There's certain guys that, just based upon their physical skill set, we're giving some opportunities to," Washington head coach Jedd Fisch said. "Then we'll rotate through that and make sure as the spring goes, different guys will get different opportunities."
Huskies Coaches Optimistic Heading Into Tuesday’s Spring Football Start
SEATTLE, Wash. — Looking to take another step forward, Jedd Fisch and his Washington Huskies football team begin spring football on Tuesday full of optimism.
It may seem like an eternity until the season kicks off with the Apple Cup on Sept. 5, but the hopes are high on Montlake after a 9-4 season in 2025. Spring ball will once again be spread out over five weeks, with Spring Game scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Friday, May 1. During the first four weeks, Washington will hold practices open to fans and media 3:30 p.m. - 6 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, as well as Saturdays 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. through April 25.
While some components of the team are settled, spring will serve as an opportunity for coaches to begin determining how positions such as running back and offensive line will shake out this season. Here are some of the things we learned while meeting with all the coaches on Monday.
Local Talent on Montlake Could Fit Multiple Needs for Seahawks in 2026 NFL Draft
When it comes to finding young talent to help bolster his football team, Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider will look just about anywhere and location and/or level of competition aren’t deal breakers in the least bit, evidenced most recently by investing a first round pick in North Dakota State guard Grey Zabel in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Dating back to 2017, Schneider has drafted Zabel as well as three players from the Division II ranks, including receivers David Moore and Dareke Young and tackle Michael Jerrell. Though none of those players remain with the Seahawks after Young signed with the Raiders earlier this month in free agency, all three of them remain on rosters in the league and two of them contributed for playoff teams in Seattle, indicating that those selections panned out quite nicely for the organization.
With that said, Schneider has wisely always kept strong tabs on local standouts, attending pro days at Washington and Washington State annually along with not-so-distant road trips to Oregon and Oregon State. In 16 years at the helm, he has drafted two former Huskies (Will Dissly in 2018, Ben Burr-Kirven in 2020) and a former Cougar (current starting right tackle Abraham Lucas in 2022) while also bringing plenty of undrafted talent into the mix from both programs, including Super Bowl champion Jermaine Kearse.
Now less than a month away from the 2026 NFL Draft, even with Seattle only holding four picks at the moment, the stars look to be aligning for Schneider to potentially add to that Evergreen State pipeline, specifically in regard to the Huskies on Montlake.
Huskies Receive Commitment from 4-Star Defensive Tackle Jon Ioane
Washington Huskies coach Jedd Fisch speaks often about getting bigger to compete in the Big Ten, and the Huskies tipped the scales toward that end with a commitment from Class of 2027 defensive lineman Jon Ioane on Thursday.
Iona, listed at 6-3, 295 pounds, plays on both sides at the line at Tustin (Calif.) High School. He chose UW over Penn State, UCLA, Stanford and Cal. Rated a 4-star “Athlete” recruit in 247Sports composite rankings because of his two-way abilities, Ioane is the 267th-ranked overall national recruit and No. 24 in California.
The Montlake Report: Biggest Storylines for the Huskies Heading Into Spring Football
Looking to improve on last year's 9-4 season, the Washington Huskies will open spring football on Tuesday, March 31. What are some of the biggest storylines heading into spring ball?
We also wrap up the end of the UW women's and men's basketball seasons.
7 Questions Facing Huskies Heading into Spring Football
The Cherry blossoms emerging in the University of Washington quad are a sign of spring for most around campus. For UW football fans, however, spring will truly begin on March 31 when spring ball begins for the Huskies.
Practices for the 2026 season begin in just 10 days as Washington starts preparing for the season-opening Apple Cup on Sept. 5, still 168 days away. The Huskies will welcome 32 new players to practice, including 20 of the expected 25 Class of 2026 and 12 scholarship transfers.
What are some of the key storylines heading into spring ball?
Washington Lands Commitment From 2027 4-Star Running Back Jeremy Adeyanju
Jedd Fisch found his Class of 2027 running back.
Jeremy Adeyanju, a 6-0, 215-pounder out of Sandra Day O’Connor High School in Glendale, Arizona, confirmed his commitment to Washington on social media. The junior chose the Huskies over USC, Michigan and UCLA.
Adeyanju’s stock has been rising over the last few months. He’s shown good instincts and decisiveness running behind an offensive line with a pair of three-star recruits, and the long-strider can run away from defenders in the open field. Adeyanju will join a UW running back room that theoretically would include 2026 4-star recruit Brian Bonner, as well as Ansue Sanoe (2026) Quaid Carr (2025) and Julian McMahan (2025) and Jordan Washington (2024).
The Montlake Report: Huskies’ 2027 Recruiting Class Showing Promise
While it's early, Jedd Fisch and his Washington Huskies football staff are making strong connections with top 2027 recruits.
Emerald City Spectrum reporter Aaron Coe breaks down why a promising class appears to be taking shape for Fisch and company, as well as UW's new deal with Alaska Airlines and weighing star basketball player Hannes Steinbach's future with a leap to the NBA potentially in sight.
Huskies Yield First Commit from Junior Day Event With Servite Linebacker Isaiah Leilua
A few days after holding a “Dawghouse Weekend” Junior Day event, the Washington Huskies have received their first known commitment from the 30-plus recruits who visited campus.
Three-star linebacker Isaiah Leilua, an inside linebacker from powerhouse Servite High School in Anaheim, California, chose Washington over reported offers from Oregon, Ohio State, Michigan, USC, Arizona, Arizona State and Penn State.
Leilua is the fourth Class of 2027 Washington commit who plays inside linebacker in high school. That position makes up half of UW’s current eight-member class.
In the way-too-early 247Sports composite rankings, Leilua’s verbal commitment moved the Huskies up to fourth.
ALL SEATTLE SPORTS, ALL THE TIME
Explore our latest Seattle sports content by clicking on your favorite team(s) below!
