2024/2025 UW Scholarship Roster - As of 11/10/24

Tequilla · November 2024

I'm going to dig into each group in additional detail, but the attached image is what (by my math/count) UW's roster looks like for 2024 and what it looks like for 2025 with the current roster, the recruiting class as it currently stands today (no Ploog), and no assumptions with respect to the portal (either in or out).

What stands out very quickly when you look at this is as follows:

UW is not playing with a full deck this year being under the 85 man scholarship limit
As the roster currently stands next year it's going to be incredibly young (over 2/3 of the roster being freshmen and sophomores) and it highlights the gaps in recruiting from the Lake/DeBoer era (only 28 combined upper class players)
Within the positional groups there are still some very clear and obvious gaps going into next year that will have to be addressed in the portal

I'm not presenting this, or going through this analysis, as a means of making excusing Fisch. Instead, the point of this is to highlight where the roster is at today, what it is going to look like heading into the offseason, and what realistically is on the table heading into the offseason.

Mad_Son · November 2024

So for next year across the five classes we are basically at 20% each year with a weighing towards the younger classes which given attrition will occur doesn't seem odd and should be correctable with transfers.

QB is rough because while I have confidence in sophomore Demond, RsFr are a liability. OL is too light in the upper years as is LB. That is a finite set of issues which can be targeted.

Age isn't our problem.

Tequilla · November 2024

I've said from the beginning of the Fisch era that 2026 is the year when it's reasonable to expect Fisch to have UW back in a CFP contending spot. There are a lot of similarities between this season and Petersen's 1st season in 2014 and next year should look a lot like Pete's 2nd season in 2015 working through a young roster and having them continue to grow during the year.

Digging into the offense in greater detail, depending on how a couple of items break in the offseason, you could be looking at an incredibly young offense in 2025.

All players are listed based on their 2025 class, players italicized are incoming true freshmen

Quarterback (3)

Sophomore: Demond Williams

Freshman: Dash Beierly, Treston McMillan

Graduated: Will Rogers

It's probably a good thing to have 2 young QBs coming onto the roster this year knowing that they have probably 2-3 years to develop before seeing the field given the overall lack of depth on the roster. There's probably a need on the roster for an experienced QB that can transfer in via the portal that understands what they are signing up for but is ok with competing for the job knowing that they won't be the favorite as any material injury to Demond next year without bringing in another QB likely means a completely FUBAR season (I'd expect that Beierly is probably the most ready to play of the freshmen but I doubt he's ready to play as a starter as a freshmen.

Running Back (5)

Senior: Jonah Coleman, Sam Adams II

Sophomore: Adam Mohammed

Freshman: Jordan Washington. Julian McMahan

Graduated: Cam Davis

How you feel about this position heading into next year likely depends on whether Coleman stays or declares for the NFL Draft (I doubt he enters the portal). If Coleman stays, a 1-2 punch of Coleman and Mohammed with one of the freshmen competing for 3rd string reps is a very doable position. If Coleman leaves, then for all intents and purposes you have 1 player returning with any kind of experience in Mohammed. I would expect Adams to be in a position to transfer to a lower level to be able to play as a Senior and that position to be filled by a player with more experience/upside via the portal.

Wide Receiver (10)

Junior: Denzel Boston, Kevin Green, Jr.

Sophomore: Rashid Williams, Keith Reynolds

Freshman: Audric Harris, Justice Williams, Jason Robertson, Jr., Chris Lawson, Raiden Vines-Bright, Dezmen Roebuck

Graduated: Giles Jackson, Travis Hunter

This is the 2nd part of the equation where if things flip the wrong way the offense looks very different in that if Boston was to declare early (he's eligible as a RS Soph) then you basically have an entire offense that is sophomore or younger throughout the roster. If Boston comes back, you at least have an anchor at the WR position that you can go into the year next year with knowing that they are going to demand shaded coverage and a double often (will help in making the reads a tad easier for Demond). The good news here is that there have been flashes this year for both Williams and Reynolds but it's a big jump for them going from depth to expecting to make an impact. Then you add in 6 freshmen and there's a lot of options and competition to fill out the roster. Assuming Boston comes back, it's a depth chart that could honestly use an experienced option to come in for a year to push the younger players. I would be surprised if there is a lot of attrition here this offseason but could absolutely see some attrition next offseason as the freshmen begin to separate themselves on the depth chart and on the field with experience.

Tight End (5)

Senior: Quentin Moore

Junior: Ryan Otton

Sophomore: Decker DeGraaf

Freshman: Charlie Crowell, Baron Naone

Graduated: Keleki Latu

IF Moore did not get injured this year in Game 1 and wasn't in a position to be able to redshirt and return next season this depth chart looks so much worse. Moore if healthy will be able to stabilize as the blocking TE. DeGraaf has shown the obvious ability with the ball in his hands this year but his biggest growth is going to come with his ability to block as a TE (him being in at the end of the game in 2 TE sets vs USC was a massive positive sign). Otton has battled injuries throughout his career and honestly at this point I think it's probably hard to count on him to be a contributor. Crowell redshirted this year with an injury so next year is effectively his 1st year and I don't think it's wise to expect him to be a contributor either. Same for Naone as TE is one of those positions that I just think it's hard to come in and play early in your career. It's a position that almost assuredly needs to find another portal add this offseason. The loss of Ploog definitely hurts because he likely would have been able to come in and play a role as a true freshman similar to what DeGraaf played this year. A high end TE will be a requirement in the 2026 recruiting class.

Offensive Line (17)

Senior: Max McCree, Gaard Memmelaar

Junior: Landen Hatchett, Drew Azzopardi

Sophomore: Zach Henning, Soane Faasolo, Kahlee Tafai, Elishah Jackson

Freshmen: Paki Finau, Michael Watkins, Davit Boyajyan, Justin Hylekema, Zac Stascausky, Champ Taulealea, Jack Shaffer, Jake Flores, Lowen Colman-Brusa

Graduated: Enokk Vimahi, D'Angelo Titialli

This is assuming Stascausky is still part of the group heading forward which is probably a leap given that there's a lot of noise that he's going to flip to Oregon … it's a shame as he'd probably be the most talented OL on the roster. The most important thing to look at with what returns is that there is experience (you'll have 7 returners that have started games) but none of them have necessarily stood out to the point where they have a guaranteed job entering next year. There's a lot of freshmen that will have the opportunity to develop and play themselves into roles as early as next year. I don't necessarily see this as a position where we'd look to add in the portal (you could maybe make an argument if Stascausky flips) but I'm not sure that there's anybody that moves the needle for next year. The prior for 2025 will be continuing to develop players and figure out who's in your rotation in 2026. The positive is that there will be a point in the future where you're going to have a very experienced OL.

Tequilla · November 2024

The state of the defense heading into next year actually isn't that bad and there's reason for optimism that some of the positives from this year should be able to be carried forward into 2025 and beyond.

Defensive Tackle (11)

Senior: Deshawn Lynch, Bryce Butler, Logan Sagapolu

Junior: Jayvon Parker, Armon Parker, Russell Davis

Sophomore: Elinneus Davis

Freshman: Annas Davis, Omar Khan, Dominic Mason, Caleb Smith

Graduated: Sebastian Valdez, Jacob Bandes

The good news heading into next year is that you have a lot of upper classmen and you have numbers. The bad news is that you don't necessarily have anybody that would be qualified as a difference maker. Parker's injury this year in Game 4 allowed for a redshirt but also likely puts some limitations on him for next year (particularly early) as an Achilles injury is one that is normally a 1 year recovery to get back on the field but a 2 year recovery to be back to pre-injury levels. I don't necessarily see much portal activity here given the numbers but if there are some guys that leave the program that could open up some room to upgrade the talent level.

EDGE (8)

Senior: Zach Durfee, Maurice Heims

Junior: Lance Holtzclaw, Jayden Wayne, Jacob Lane, Isaiah Ward

Freshman: Devin Hyde, Victor Sanchez Hernandez

Graduated: Voi Tunuufi

This is a position group that on one hand could be one of our most talented but is also one where there have been some struggles in terms of injuries and players necessarily taking the ball and running with it to demand consistent snaps (Ward's probably the closest to it). Heims seems like a candidate to not be on the roster next year. There's effectively nothing on the roster for 2 classes and there's a definitely need at some point in the future for that void to be filled. How this position develops in the offseason will be a leading indicator for the defense next year … very easily could be our best position group on that side of the ball.

Linebacker (5)

Sophomore: Khmori House, Deven Bryant

Freshman: Zaydrius Rainey-Sale, Jonathan Epperson, Donovan Robinson

Graduated: Alphonzo Tuputala, Carson Bruener, Drew Fowler

How there isn't a single upper class LB on this roster going into next year is absolutely criminal and is a massive indictment of the recruiting under Lake and DeBoer. It's almost a guarantee that at least 1, if not more, of the true frosh LBs will be playing next year. There's probably room for at least 2 LBs to come in via the portal with 1 having a year of eligibility and 1 having multiple years of eligibility. One byproduct of this depth as part of next year's roster and the need to build out here is tied to special teams … an area that UW must get better at in the offseason.

Cornerback (10)

Senior: Ephesians Prysock, Elijah Jackson, Dyson McCutcheon

Sophomore: Leroy Bryant, Caleb Presley, Jordan Shaw, Curley Reed

Freshman: Elias Johnson, D'Aryihan Clemons, Ramonz Adams

Graduated: Thaddeus Dixon

The pass defense has been the strength of the defense this season and even with Dixon graduating, there's still plenty of returning talent/production provided everybody returns. We have another instance of an entire missing class with the Junior class meaning that heading into 2026 there's going to be a decent amount of opportunity for the younger players on the roster to get snaps and play with Shaw who has flashed this year. This is another area where as the young players grow it should have a trickle down impact onto special teams. It would not shock me if there's someone in this group that transfers out.

Safety (10)

Junior: Tristan Dunn

Sophomore: Peyton Waters, Vincent Holmes

Freshman: Rahim Wright, Rahshawn Clark, Paul Mencke, Jr., Dylan Robinson, Rylon Dillard-Allen, Deji Ajose

Graduated: Kamren Fabriculanan, Cameron Broussard, Justin Harrington

This is probably the most unknown part of the defense entering next year with the most questions. Holmes has played some this year and is probably a leading option to start next year. Waters was highly regarded out of HS and Dunn has mostly been a special teams player throughout his career. The rest of the roster is full of freshmen … some of whom are very highly regarded. The big question that will need to be answered going into the offseason is whether there is enough talent and if they are ready to play next year. My guess is they may look to get an experienced player to come in and QB the secondary next year but it's not a given.

Tequilla · November 2024

https://hardcorehusky.com/discussion/comment/2018023#Comment_2018023

I think the problem when you look at the composition of our roster is that when you look at the players returning in the upper classes there are a number of guys there that probably just qualify as JAGs. Those that are difference makers will have options whether the NFL or the portal. There's also a few in the upper classes that are definitely guys that could get pushed out of the program because we're already going to be pushing it on our roster size as is.

The other thing that stands out as you go through the roster is that there are position groups that have 1-2 year voids of any talent. It makes it a situation where the roster constantly feels imbalanced and uneven.

I'm really not sure what to think of the QB position and how to get around that next year. I find it hard to imagine that we'd be able to bring in anybody with decent experience/skill knowing that Demond is going to win the job. We do have a walk-on QB that you could maybe argue could cover in a pinch … but it's not great. Being the starter at Mater Dei would make me think that Dash may be closer to being passable than one would think. The challenge is that he's probably more of a dual guy at this point versus a passer so it's a complete crap shoot. I'm not saying this to excuse Fisch but the QB position is just a giant risk next year … there's no way around it.

You're right in your callouts on the other obvious gaps in the roster … they can be worked around. What I'm getting at here is that you have a lot of youth on the roster that has yet to really see much of the field (or will be incoming freshmen) and because of those numbers there really isn't a lot of room to overhaul this roster with players from the portal other than at very pointed and select spots. Where you're going to see the effects of the portal is most likely after next season as the youth plays itself out a bit and those that have been passed look for other opportunities while another full recruiting class is signed. There's no way that we're going to sign 15 next year … it will be in the 20-25 range again.

Tequilla · November 2024

As for the specialists …

We've got commitments in this class from a long snapper (who supposedly can also play tight end) as well as punter/kicker.

I'm not really sure what you do with Grady Gross … at minimum he's competing for the job next year. There's no question that this year has not been good enough at this level.

The punt game isn't good enough … full stop.