James Smith, 2020 3* DB, Bellflower (Bosco), CA (COMMITTED)

“I know it’s the best place for me”, Smith told Realdawg.com following the unofficial, two-day trip he took to Seattle with his mother, “It’s just the coaches and I love how Coach Pete is teaching players to become great men and how graduation is expected. Obviously the football is great and Coach Lake gives you a chance to get to the next level.”

Smith actually was set to commit yesterday, but Petersen had a flight issue and wasn’t going to be able to get talk to Smith – but Will Harris was very excited to know he was going to get Smith in the Dawghouse to coach up as a Husky.

Washington came in a literally pulled the rug right out from under the feet of Oregon, where most pundits believed Smith was headed — but when he received his offer from the Huskies, it completely changed everything.

Smith told us back when he was offered:

“I mean, Oregon was high up there for me”, Smith had said, “But after Washington offered…not so much…I’ve grown up watching Washington and they’re the best team in the Pac-12. Coach Lake really knows what he’s doing and I had a chance to work with him and Coach Harris and Coach Petersen at Whittier, and I totally trust them.”

And as for narrowing it down to Oregon and Washington, Smith’s mother was more in favor of the Huskies, as was Smith, himself.

Smith won’t be an early enrollee, but will sign in December.

“I want to try to sit down and look at the schedule but I think I’ll be back up for that USC game”, he said, noting that he will take his official visit that weekend.

And as for getting this decision off his shoulders? Smith said “I feel myself smiling a lot more now”, he laughed.

Biggins:

Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco defensive back James Smith committed to Washington moments ago.

After a weekend unofficial visit to Washington, Smith decided he was ready to pull the trigger.

“I just think it was the best fit for me,” Smith said. “I told you before the visit that I really liked Washington and if things went well on the visit, I could make a decision right after and that’s what I decided to do.

“The biggest thing for me is the development I know I can get there. If you go to Washington, you’re almost guaranteed an opportunity to play in the NFL and that’s definitely my goal. No one does a better job of developing defensive backs then Jimmy Lake and I can’t wait to play for him.”

Head coach Chris Petersen made a big impact on the family as well.

“With coach Pete and the whole program at Washington, it’s about more then just football,” Smith said. “For me, that’s what really put UW over the top. Yeh I want that development but coach Pete is about making you in to a man, molding you in a better person and my mom and I loved his Built For Life Program.

“For me, that means going in to Washington and understanding life is about more then just football, it’s the degree, the networking, the alumni support and the great connections there. It’s helping me become a better person, helping me to mature and coach Pete is a guy who can do that. My mom couldn’t stop smiling the whole time there. She loved it and was all in for me to attend Washington. She was sending pics to her friends the whole time and is really excited for me as well.”

Smith said he knew right away he would be making his decision.

“The second I stepped foot on campus, I knew that was the place,” Smith said. “Washington was my dream school so actually I knew I was going to go there right when they offered me. I still wanted to visit but I knew I was going to be a Husky.

“Everything just felt right and I fit in really well there. My mom and I had breakfast with coach Lake and Will Harris yesterday and that went great. He talked to me about the scheme fit and how they see me. They love long, athletic corners there and they see my similar to a Keith Taylor or Jordan Miller. I’ll be coming in as a boundary corner and I can’t wait to get started.”

Harris narrowed his choices to the Huskies and Oregon Ducks before making his decision. Schools like Michigan, Penn State and UCLA had also offered Smith.

He's an intriguing player with a lot of upside. He played behind current Husky freshman corner Trent McDuffie and USC freshman Chris Steele last season but looks primed for a big senior year.

He has all the physical tools you could want in a young corner. He has an athletic frame, runs well, shows good ball skills and has shown a more aggressive edge to his game this off-season. He's only scratching the surface of how good he can be in a few years and should see his game take a big leap in a few years when he gets bigger, stronger and gains more game experience.

Seems like a great get. Underrated because he played behind Steele and McDuffie, but a high ceiling guy who will be good for us.

GrundleStiltzkin said:

StrongArmCobra said:

I love him! He'll be a first round pick! Let's keep it rolling baby! Rome is next! WOOF!

I’m inclined to believe this.

Believe all of it baby! Smith has rare brakes and hip swivel for a corner of his size. He's like a bigger, stronger version of Jordan Miller. He went from 170 to 188 this past year. He's growing rapidly and will be a 200 pound corner as a Freshman at UW. He's got all the physical tools you want and will be coached up by the best in the biz. HUGE pickup that seems routine at this point because Jimmy does this every year.

Another guy who wants to get his ticket to the NFL punched. Good on him.