Jedd Fisch Faces A Huge In-State Recruiting Test Again

The Washington Huskies are strategically positioning themselves for future dominance by targeting elite 2028 recruits and focusing on securing top in-state talents.

While Washington waits on a few key decisions in its 2027 class, the Huskies are already planting flags for 2028.

The immediate focus is still on the current cycle. Washington is a day away from learning where two of its top remaining offensive line targets, Gecova Doyal and Tye Kennedy, will land. Another trench target, DaJohn Yarborough, is set to announce his commitment July 11, about a week and a half later.

But even with those decisions looming, the Huskies are moving hard on the next wave.

One of the biggest names on their 2028 board is five-star edge rusher Jalanie George, a 6-foot-4 1/2, 245-pound prospect from Desert Edge High School in Goodyear, Ariz. Per the 247Sports composite, George is the ninth-best player in the class, the second-best edge rusher and the top player in Arizona. Washington is among his final six schools, along with Auburn, Ohio State, Miami, Oklahoma and Florida.

George isn’t the only blue-chip name drawing attention in Seattle. Washington is also making a strong run at five-star tight end Tytan McNeal, the top tight end in the class and the top player in Washington, according to the 247Sports composite.

McNeal, who attends Eastside Catholic High School in Sammamish, Wash., is a 6-foot-5, 230-pound target ranked 36th overall nationally. He’s roughly 20 miles from Husky Stadium, and UW first offered him on Aug.

31, 2025. McNeal has already started taking unofficial visits.

The push for McNeal fits a bigger pattern under head coach Jedd Fisch, whose arrival ahead of the 2024 season has lined up with Washington’s improved hold on the state’s best talent.

The Huskies have taken the top player in Washington in each of the last three classes, according to 247Sports: Zaydrius Rainey-Sale in 2025, Derek Colman-Brusa in 2026 and Braylon Pope and Tevita Nonu in 2027. Pope is ranked as the top player in the state by the 247Sports composite, while Nonu holds that spot in the site’s player rankings.

If Washington can extend that streak to four straight years and stay in the mix for George, the 2028 class could end up looking special for the program.

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Jedd Fisch Sends Clear Message About How Washington's Staff Is Viewed

Jedd Fisch didnt exactly hide his appreciation for the way Washingtons staff was represented in a recent Big Ten positional coach ranking from Matrix Analytical. The Huskies head coach acknowledged the list after multiple assistants landed near the top, including wide receivers coach Kevin Cummings, linebackers coach Brian Odom and defensive coordinator Ryan Walters, all of whom were recognized for the work theyve done in a conference that is quick to sort out the best at each position.

Fischs reaction was especially telling on the defensive side, where John Richardson came in ninth and drew a head-scratching response from the coach. It was a reminder that Washington views its staff as more than a collection of promising names, especially with Richardson having already helped develop cornerbacks who reached the next level, and with the Huskies clearly paying attention to how the rest of the Big Ten sees them. [Read more 🡒]

Illinois Freshman Defender Already Has Fans Dreaming Bigger For 2026

The early buzz around Big Ten freshmen usually comes with a lot of caveats, but this group has already pushed past the usual wait-and-see stage. Washington tackle Kodi Greene is part of that wave, and his presence among players drawing spring praise says plenty about how quickly some first-year talents are forcing their way into the conversation before the season even gets going.

For the Huskies, Greene is the one to watch most closely because the path for a true freshman offensive lineman is rarely so direct. The bigger picture here is what it means for Washingtons front: if a newcomer is already tracking toward a major role, it changes both the depth chart and the expectations for what the offense can be up front when the real games begin. [Read more 🡒]