Washington’s defense took a real step in Jedd Fisch’s second season on Montlake, and one of the quieter reasons why was Rahshawn Clark.
The Huskies cut their points allowed down to 18.7 per game in 2025, a mark that ranked 15th nationally under defensive coordinator Ryan Walters. Now, with 2026 approaching, there’s a real belief that the unit can climb again. Walters gets another year with the group, and Washington brings back a long list of contributors who helped make last season’s defense hum.
The front seven has plenty of buzz around it, starting with returners Elinneus Davis and Jacob Lane, plus highly-touted freshman Derek Colman-Brusa and a mix of experienced holdovers and transfers. The linebacking group has its own credibility too, with four players who started games last year in Jacob Manu, Xe'ree Alexander, Zaydrius Rainey-Sale, and Taariq Al-Uqdah.
Even with two NFL corners gone, the back end still looks loaded. Dylan Robinson flashed big-time upside as a freshman and looks the part of an NFL corner.
Emmanuel Karnley, the Virginia transfer, is expected to start on the other side and has already been described by the coaching staff as a "savvy" player. A handful of first-year corners have also made noise early in fall camp.
Then there’s the safety tandem. Alex McLaughlin was an honorable mention All-B1G selection in 2025 and also took home the team’s Defensive MVP award. Rylon Dillard-Allen followed with Freshman All-American recognition from Pro Football Focus.
But the name that deserves more attention at nickel is Rahshawn Clark.
The third-year defensive back from Garfield started five of the 12 games he played last season and still finished with Washington’s third-highest overall defensive grade on PFF. He didn’t exactly start fast - three of his four lowest-graded games came in non-conference play - but once Big Ten competition rolled around, he settled in and became a dependable piece of Walters’ defense.
Clark’s work in coverage stood out. He was Washington’s fourth-highest graded defender in coverage, with a 75.7 PFF grade, and he held opponents to 5.5 yards per attempt with a completion rate under 60 percent when targeted.
The late-season numbers were even stronger. Over the final six regular-season games, Clark allowed only five catches on 13 targets, a 38% completion rate, for 60 yards. That stretch included matchups with Michigan, Illinois, and Oregon.
His value didn’t stop there. As a nickel, Clark was also a useful part of the run defense, which matters when you’re living that close to the line of scrimmage. He ranked sixth on the team in PFF’s Rush Defense category, sandwiched between Elinneus Davis and Alex McLaughlin.
He also proved to be a sure tackler. Across 12 games, Clark was charged with just one missed tackle, going 21-for-22 on tackle chances.
That included a sack, two tackles for loss, and seven stops. When the ball found him, he usually finished the job.
And yes, he can rush the passer too. Clark picked up one sack on the year on a play you probably remember: Colorado State’s fake field goal, when the holder dropped back to pass and Clark came flying in from several yards away before the play could develop.
Washington didn’t ask him to do much as a pass rusher after that, with just one snap in that role between the opener and the loss at Michigan. But he got more chances late. Over the final six games, he logged 12 pass-rush snaps and produced pressure on half of his attempts, including two quarterback hits.
That kind of all-around flexibility shows up in the alignment data, too. Most of Clark’s snaps came in the slot, but he also worked at corner in seven games, at in-the-box safety in eight, and at free safety in 10. That gives Walters a lot of room to move pieces around and disguise what Washington is doing on defense.
Clark’s impact doesn’t end on defense either. He also handled punts for the Huskies, averaging 14.5 yards per return while backing up Denzel Boston, and he remains one of their kick return options as well.
For Washington, Clark checks just about every box: local kid, reliable defender, special teams contributor, and a player whose game kept trending up as the year went on. That makes him one of the more important pieces on the roster heading into 2026.
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For Washington, the stakes go beyond simply getting off to a good start. Minnesotas style can drag a game into uncomfortable territory, and the Huskies will be leaning on quarterback Demond Williams Jr. to help them avoid a slow-burn setback before the USC trip even arrives. In a conference where every slip gets magnified, the opener could shape how much room Washington has left to breathe once the schedule tightens. [Read more 🡒]