Washington’s defense has plenty of established names heading into year three of the Jedd Fisch rebuild, but the real intrigue is tucked a little deeper down the roster. With veterans like LB Jacob Manu, LB Xe’ree Alexander, S Alex McLaughlin and transfer CB Manny Karnley already in place, the next wave of impact could come from younger players and returnees who are finally healthy enough to matter.
That’s the group worth circling in fall camp. Some are sophomores trying to take the next step.
Others are freshmen who already look like they belong. And if “breakout” means Freshman All-American status for the newcomers and first- or second-team All-Big Ten honors for everyone else, there are a handful of defenders with a real shot to hit that standard.
The name at the top of that list is LB Zaydrius Raney-Sale. He arrived with the kind of pedigree that usually turns heads right away, but a torn ACL slowed everything down after his freshman season.
Now healthy, he’s in the mix to start next to Jacob Manu, and at 6-2 and 240 pounds, the pairing makes a lot of sense on paper. Raney-Sale brings the kind of speed, range and instincts that can change the feel of a linebacker room, and he can affect games in multiple ways as a pass rusher and in coverage.
S Rylon Dillard-Allen is already a known quantity after starting three games as a true freshman last season. He showed up as a physical, confident defender who wasn’t shy about contact, which is how he picked up the nickname “Batman.”
Now he’s trying to lock down a full-time role in year two, but his aggressive style has also gotten him into trouble during fall camp. Safeties coach Taylor Mays has continued working with him on discipline and keeping that edge without crossing the line.
Up front, the true freshmen duo of DL Derek Coleman-Brusa and Ramzak Fruean could give Washington an immediate jolt. Coleman-Brusa was effectively dropped into a starting defensive tackle role when he got to campus, and he brings versatility and disruption from multiple spots along the line.
Fruean has been pushing for snaps at edge rusher, where his length and speed have stood out. With no obvious clear-cut No. 1 edge option, there’s a real opening for him to carve out a role.
Between those two, the Huskies should have plenty of chances to rotate and see what they can do.
CB Dylan Robinson is another young defender with obvious upside. He started five games as a freshman, and the talk around the program has already gone well beyond cautious optimism, with coaches discussing him as a future first-round pick.
That’s a big label, but Robinson has the tools to back it up. At 6-3, with the speed and fluidity to match athletic receivers, he looks the part of an NFL corner.
He’ll get a chance to prove it as a starter opposite Manny Karnley, and if the coverage matches the physical gifts, he could become one of the defining breakout players on the defense.
DB Rashawn Clark rounds out the group as a second-year defender working his way back after shoulder surgery ended his 2025 season. Before that, he was getting extensive work in the nickel role as a redshirt freshman, and his return is one of the quieter but more important developments for this unit. Clark has already shown he can make plays, with 21 tackles and two tackles for loss across 387 snaps.
Still, the pick here is Raney-Sale. He looks like the kind of linebacker who would have started for a lot of Washington defenses over the last 20-plus years, and he should have every chance to make plays alongside Jacob Manu.
Whether it’s rushing the passer, stuffing run lanes or dropping into coverage, the opportunity is there for him to fill up the stat sheet. Among this group, he has the best blend of talent and opportunity, and an all-conference season isn’t hard to imagine.
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