Washington’s quarterback board for the Class of 2028 is already taking shape, and it includes a mix of national heavyweights and a local option the Huskies can keep close to home.
That fits the way Jedd Fisch has attacked recruiting since arriving ahead of the 2024 season. Washington’s momentum has been real: the 2026 class finished 12th nationally, the highest ranking in program history from 247Sports, and the 2027 group is currently sitting 25th, per 247Sports. Now the Huskies are reaching even deeper into the 2028 pool, where several blue-chip names have already surfaced.
Among the top targets is five-star quarterback Donald Tabron II of Cass Technical in Detroit. Washington has tried a familiar tactic here, pairing its offer to Tabron with one to four-star wide receiver Mylan Griggs, his teammate at Cass Technical. The Huskies used a similar approach in the 2026 cycle when they landed four-star quarterback Blake Roskopf and also secured a commitment from three-star receiver Zerek Sidney, who attends Desert Edge High School in Goodyear, Ariz.
So far, though, that strategy hasn’t moved the needle with Tabron. He has piled up offers from major programs across the country, and Texas A&M appears to be the early team to beat.
Another elite quarterback on Washington’s list is Christopher Vargas, a five-star from St. John’s Prep in Danvers, Mass.
Vargas is ranked as the seventh-best player in the nation, the top quarterback in the class and the best player in Massachusetts, according to the 247Sports composite. Washington is one of four schools still in the mix, alongside Ohio State, Southern California and UCLA.
Even with the Huskies among his finalists, the early buzz points elsewhere. Chad Simmons and Steve Wiltfong of Rivals have both already projected Vargas to land with Ryan Day and Ohio State.
Still, Washington has shown it can stay alive in these battles longer than expected. In the Class of ’26 alone, the Huskies flipped five-star offensive lineman Kodi Greene from Oregon and four-star wide receiver Jordan Clay from Baylor.
If the big national swings don’t break Washington’s way, there’s also a quarterback in the state the program can lean on: AJ Tuivaiave of Graham-Kapowsin High School in Graham, Wash., about 50 miles from Husky Stadium. Tuivaiave is a three-star prospect ranked 362nd overall, 25th among quarterbacks and fifth in Washington, per the 247Sports composite.
His 247Sports player page lists Washington as the only school he is “warm” on. On3 Sports gives the Huskies the best chance to land him at 15.7%, just ahead of Oregon at 13.7%. At 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, Tuivaiave gives Washington a local fallback if the pursuit of the higher-profile arms comes up short.
In Other News...
Jacob Manu Is Suddenly Back At The Center Of Washington's Defense
Jacob Manu arrived at Washington with the kind of reputation that usually comes with a transfer expected to make an immediate difference, and the Huskies still see him that way heading into this season. The senior linebackers first year in Seattle never really got rolling because of injuries, but even in a limited sample he showed enough to remind Washington why he was such an appealing addition from Arizona.
Now Manu is back in the middle of a linebacker room that values both experience and steadiness, and the preseason recognition followed. Washington is counting on him not just for production, but for the kind of depth and leadership that can settle a defense over the course of a long season, especially after a year in which he spent far more time trying to get healthy than making plays. [Read more 🡒]
Former Huskies Star Is Already Showing Why He Went So High
Hannes Steinbach wasted little time giving Charlotte a look at why he went so high. After being taken 14th overall by the Hornets in the 2026 NBA Draft, the former Washington big man turned up in Summer League and delivered a 15-point, 11-rebound double-double in a win over Orlando, a reminder that his calling card travels well from college to the next level.
For Huskies fans, the draft night significance was part of the appeal too. Steinbach became the programs first first-round pick since 2020, when Jaden McDaniels and Isaiah Stewart went in the opening round, and his rise came after a college season in which he led the nation in rebounds per game and was one of Washingtons most dependable pieces. [Read more 🡒]