Reviewing The 2019 Husky Recruiting Class

The Huskies wrapped up their 2019 class and signed a total of 22 (with the outside possibility of landing one more) scholarship players, 13 of which were on the defensive side, 8 on the offensive side, and one specialist. 247Sports rated the class as a Top 15 class in their rankings and the 2nd best class in the PAC 12. Here is a look at the class:

At quarterback the Huskies landed a 4 star quarterback in Dylan Morris from Graham-Kapowsin. Morris has a strong arm and is very accurate but doesn’t have the prototypical size NFL teams covet (he is listed at 6’1” and around 195 pounds). He committed to UW over offers from Notre Dame and Oregon. Overall Morris is a good quarterback who will definitely compete for playing time in a few years when he learns the offense and adds some muscle to his frame. Morris is already on campus and will participate in spring practices.

At running back the Huskies landed 4 star running back Cameron Davis from Upland HS, CA. The Huskies targeted Davis very early and were able to land his commitment last spring. Davis had almost 2,000 yards rushing and 21 TDs while averaging around 7.6 yards per carry. Davis has good speed and is able to run inside the tackles. The Huskies would have loved to add a big back in the class but Davis will be a good ball carrier for the Huskies. Listed at around 6’0” and 190 pounds, Davis was pursued heavily by USC before he signed with UW.

The Huskies landed a good wideout when 3 Star Taj Davis from Upland HS, CA committed to UW early in the summer. Davis (not related to Cameron) is listed at 6’2” and around 195 pounds. When you watch his film you can see that he has good speed and shiftiness when carrying the ball. He committed to UW over offers from UCLA, Stanford, Cal, and Utah. After a redshirt year, Davis should be a factor in the passing game. There is still the potential that the Huskies land another wideout if Puka Nacua, a 4 star wideout out of Orem HS, UT, were to choose UW. Oregon is also a heavy player for Nacua, who is a 6’2”, around 190-pound wideout.

On the offensive line the Huskies loaded up with one of the best line classes they have brought in. The class is highlighted by 4 star offensive tackles Nathaniel Kalepo from Rainier Beach HS, WA and Julius Buelow from Kapolei HS, HI. Both players are listed at over 6’6” and around 330 pounds. After a year in the weight room they both should be competing for playing time. The Huskies were able to land both over the likes of USC, Notre Dame, and UCLA. On the inside of the line, the Huskies were able to land 3 star players Troy Fautanu from Liberty HS, NV and 3 star Corey Luciano from Diablo Valley College, CA. Both players will play inside and were big pickups for the Huskies, committing to them over offers from USC. Fautanu, Luciano, and Buelow are all on campus and will participate in spring practice. Overall, the Huskies did about as well as possible on the offensive line. Fautanu might be a sleeper recruit who could be a star in a year.

On the defensive line the Huskies loaded up and brought in arguably the best defensive line class in the country. 4 star defensive tackles Jacob Bandes from Pittsburg HS, CA and Faatui Tuitele from St Louis HS, HI will anchor the 3 technique along with 3 star defensive tackle Sama Pa’ama from Kaimuki HS, HI. All three players are listed at over 6’2” and well over 300 pounds. Bandes and Tuitele committed to UW over offers from the likes of Clemson, Oregon, and other major programs across the country (Tuitele had offers from Alabama, LSU, and Ohio State). Pa’ama committed to UW over offers from USC and Oregon. Not to be forgotten, 3 star defensive tackle Noa Ngalu from Menlo Atherton HS, CA joined the class over offers from Cal, ASU, and Colorado. All four players will be forces along the line and were huge pickups for the Huskies. Here are some of Faatui Tuitele’s highlights:

At Buck linebacker (technically a hybrid defensive end) the Huskies added two big time prospects that will help them generate some much-needed pass rush. 4 star Laiatu Latu from Jesuit HS, CA committed to UW over offers from around the country. Listed at 6’4” and around 270 pounds, Latu had offers from across the country including Alabama, USC, Georgia, and Notre Dame. The Huskies also landed 3 star Buck Bralen Trice out of Sandra Day O’Connor, Glendale, AZ. Trice, who is listed at 6’3” and around 220 pounds, received a UW offer very early and ended up committing to UW over offers from Alabama, Oregon, and Notre Dame. Latu will probably be able to play earlier than Trice but both players are prototypical rush ends that the Huskies need.

At linebacker the Huskies brought in four players, two of which were 4-stars in Daniel Heimuli from Menlo Atherton and Joshua Calvert from Oaks Christian HS, CA. Heimuli was a huge pickup in the class, committing to UW after a big push from both Alabama and Oregon. Listed at between 6’1” and 6’2” and around 225 pounds, Heimuli is a thumper at inside linebacker. Calvert, who is already on campus, committed to UW over offers from UCLA and Oregon. I think he will play next year at inside linebacker; at 6’1” and around 230 pounds, Calvert already has the size to play. The Huskies also landed a couple of 3 star linebackers in Miki Ah You from Kahuku HS, HI and Alphonzo Tuputala from Federal Way HS, WA. Ah You is already on campus and is recovering from an ACL torn last fall. After losing BBK, Tevis Bartlett, and possibly D.J. Beavers, the Huskies needed to load up at linebacker and they did just that. Here are some of Daniel Heimuli’s highlights:

At defensive back the Huskies loaded up again and will continue their push for DBU. Each signee was rated by 247Sports as a 4 star player (technically Cameron Williams was a composite 3 star). The highest rated player (rated as a top 75 player in the nation by 247Sports) the Huskies added was Trent McDuffie from St. John Bosco HS, CA, who at 5’11” and around 190 pounds can play at corner and use his quickness to cover. McDuffie committed to UW over offers from Alabama, Oregon, USC, and LSU. The Huskies also landed a versatile player in Kamren Fabiculanan from Westlake HS, CA, who committed to UW over offers from Oregon, USC, and UCLA. Fabiculanan, who is listed at 6’1” and around 180 pounds, can play either corner or safety for the Huskies. At safety the Huskies landed Asa Turner from Carlsbad HS, CA who committed and signed with UW after Notre Dame pushed hard for his commitment and got him to rethink his pledge to UW. Listed at around 6’2” and 200 pounds, Turner has the length and ball skills to be a disruptive force at safety. The Huskies finished off their DB class by adding Cameron Williams from Bakersfield HS, CA, who is already on campus and will participate in spring practice. Listed at around 5’11” and around 185 pounds, Williams will likely try to compete right away for Taylor Rapp’s former position. Here are some of McDuffie’s highlights:

At the kicking position the Huskies landed a good kicker in Tim Horn from Punahou HS, HI. Horn committed to UW over an offer from Oregon. He has a strong leg and at minimum I expect that he will handle kickoff duties for the Huskies due to his ability to force touchbacks.

Overall, if I were to grade the class I would give it an A (with an outside shot at an A+ if the Huskies land Puka Nacua). The coaches landed impact players on both lines and really loaded up on the defensive side of the ball. The only criticism that I would have for the class is not adding a bigger impact wideout and also not adding a bigger back. However, all in all they beat out major programs for all of their commits and this class will help UW compete against the big boys of college football.

Let me know what your thoughts are on the class and specific players and as always follow me @asieverkropp.