Washington Huskies’ Rylon Dillard-Allen tries to balance his on-field aggression
Washington safety Rylon Dillard-Allen tackles Michigan tight end Zack Marshall during a college football game, Oct. 18, 2025, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (Nick Wagner / The Seattle Times)
By Andy Yamashita Seattle Times staff reporter
Rylon Dillard-Allen was around six or seven years old the first time someone called him Batman.
The moniker originated when Dillard-Allen, now a freshman safety with No. 23 Washington, was participating in youth track and field as a long jumper. A coach noticed how Dillard-Allen seemed to glide effortlessly through the air and nicknamed him after the famous caped crusader.
And as Dillard-Allen emerged as a blue-chip recruit in Phoenix, he began to lean into his alter ego. He wore a Batman mask while running out of the tunnel at Mountain Pointe High. Posed with a Batman cape on during a recruiting photoshoot. Friends, teammates, coaches and community members began calling him Batman, too.
“Next thing I know, the newspaper is writing articles calling me Batman,” he said.
So Dillard-Allen understands how long a reputation can stick with a player. He’s aware of the one he’s building at UW, too, where he’s become notable for his hard-hitting approach and aggressive edge that has occasionally caught the attention of referees.
“The image of me being a tough guy, I don’t really know how to go about it,” Dillard-Allen said. “Because I don’t want to be seen as that. All of that is just selfishness and undisciplined activities.”
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Dillard-Allen has enjoyed a rapid ascent with the Huskies (6-2, 3-2 Big Ten). He was a four-star recruit, according to the 247Sports composite rankings, and the No. 2 player in Arizona. Only linebacker Zaydrius Rainey-Sale and cornerback Dylan Robinson were ranked higher among UW’s signees in its 2025 recruiting class.
The 6-foot, 180-pound safety enrolled early to participate in winter workouts, and impressed early during spring practices, defensive coordinator Ryan Walters said. As fall camp started and Dillard-Allen continued to demonstrate a good understanding of the defense, Walters said it became very clear the Phoenix native was going to be an important freshman contributor.
“He’s electric when he’s on the field,” Walters said. “Always finds a way to be around the ball and make plays.”
Dillard-Allen has played in every game this season, both on special teams and as the team’s third-choice safety behind starting duo Makell Esteen and Alex McLaughlin. He’s tallied 19 tackles — including 16 solo efforts — playing primarily when opposing offenses deploy formations with two tight ends.
According to Pro Football Focus, Dillard-Allen has played 155 defensive snaps, including a season-high 43 snaps against No. 1 Ohio State Sept. 27. Dillard-Allen played 18 snaps during Washington’s 42-25 win against Illinois, making one tackle. Robinson, who started two games while replacing senior cornerback Tacario Davis during his recovery from a rib injury, is the only freshman on UW’s defense who’s seen more action this season.
Dillard-Allen has only missed 9.1% of his tackles, one of the lowest percentages on the team among players who’ve played at least 150 defensive snaps, according to PFF. His 46 yards receiving allowed on five catches is the lowest of any defensive back who has played at least two games.
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Walters praised Dillard-Allen’s preparation and execution. He said the young safety is constantly watching film with safeties coach Taylor Mays in his free time, and complimented Dillard-Allen’s ability to recognize defensive keys and spring into action without hesitation. It’s a trait Walters said he saw in current Seahawk cornerback Devon Witherspoon, who played for the UW defensive coordinator at Illinois from 2021-22.
“He’s got the confidence to do that,” Walters said. “That’s what you want in everybody on defense.”
Dillard-Allen’s penchant for big hits emerged early, too. The second tackle of his career was a forearm shiver that caught Colorado State kick returner Lloyd Avant by surprise and sent the 200-pound running back tumbling to the ground with an audible crack that was even picked up on the game’s broadcast.
Three weeks later, Dillard-Allen came flying down from his post safety position and laid a perfectly timed hit on Washington State wide receiver Landon Wright as he ran a shallow drag route, limiting the Cougars to a 3-yard gain. However, the play was wiped out by a holding penalty on sophomore safety Vincent Holmes.
He added to his collection of strong hits against Illinois, stonewalling 200-pound junior running back Aiden Laughery in the hole before spinning him down for a 2-yard gain late in the first quarter.
But Dillard-Allen’s most consequential moment of the game came a few minutes earlier, when he was flagged for unnecessary roughness after appearing to shove senior defensive back Grayson Griffin in the face mask twice during the aftermath of a UW kickoff. His penalty gave Illinois the ball on its own 47-yard line, which it converted into a 33-yard field goal.
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It’s not the first time Dillard-Allen’s scrappiness has surfaced on the football field. During a fall practice Aug. 5, he ignited a scuffle with junior wide receiver Kevin Green Jr. after putting a big hit on his teammate in the end zone that appeared to be slightly late.
Both players had to be separated, though they returned to practice that day. Speaking after the practice, Mays said Dillard-Allen was still learning how to walk the balance between playing with an aggressive edge while still protecting his teammates. Dillard-Allen was critical of himself Tuesday, noting he “wasn’t proud” of the unnecessary roughness call against Illinois or the practice skirmishes he’d been involved in during the fall.
“That’s just stuff I’ve got to work on,” Dillard-Allen said. “I’ve just got to keep the toughness in between the whistles.
It’s a lesson Dillard-Allen will continue to learn as he takes on even more responsibilities for Washington, which travels to face Wisconsin at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis., Saturday for a 1:30 p.m. kickoff.
The Badgers (2-6, 0-5) have three different tight ends who’ve caught passes and played in eight games this season, including senior Lance Mason, their second-leading receiver. Meaning Dillard-Allen may be called upon for more snaps this weekend. But he’s got the trust of Walters and Mays, who see Dillard-Allen as a player whose ceiling is as high as he wants it to be going forward.
“He has the chance,” Mays said Aug. 5, “to be a special player.”
Andy Yamashita: ayamashita@seattletimes .com. Andy Yamashita is a sports reporter at The Seattle Times, primarily covering Washington Huskies football.