Washington Huskies gets commitment from four-star running back

It was a full house at Husky Stadium for a match up with No. 10 Michigan last season. (Dean Rutz / The Seattle Times)

By Andy Yamashita Seattle Times staff reporter

Washington is preparing for life without Jonah Coleman. 

The running back enjoyed a strong 2024 campaign, rushing for 1,000 yards for the first time in his career and scoring 10 touchdowns on the way to third-team All-Big Ten honors from the media poll. Behind an offensive line that did him few favors. But Coleman is expected to run out of eligibility following the upcoming season, making running back a priority during the 2026 recruiting cycle. 

Brian Bonner Jr. may be a significant part of the solution. The 6-foot, 185-pound running back from Valencia, Calif. announced his commitment to Washington on his social media accounts Tuesday. He’s the 18th player to join UW’s 2026 recruiting class and the seventh blue-chip recruit.

“He’s a speed back who can hit the home run from anywhere on the field and is always a threat to break off a big gainer,” 247Sports recruiting analyst Greg Biggins wrote in an evaluation May 27. 

Bonner is considered a four-star prospect, the No. 7 running back, the No. 13 player in California and the No. 105 player nationally by the 247Sports composite rankings. He’s the second-highest rated player in UW’s 2026 class, trailing only composite five-star offensive lineman Kodi Greene. 

The Valencia High running back held scholarship offers from across the country including Arizona, Arizona State, Auburn, California, Colorado, Duke, Georgia, Kansas, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Missouri, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon, SMU, Stanford, Tennessee, USC and Utah, among others. He took official visits to UCLA, Nebraska and Penn State before committing to UW. 

Bonner became a national recruit in large part because of his performances at Valencia. During his sophomore season, he rushed for 499 yards and three touchdowns on 79 carries according to MaxPreps. Bonner played some receiver, too, making 23 catches for 457 yards and six receiving touchdowns, and returned 12 kickoffs for 274 yards. 

He stepped into a full-time running back role during his junior season in 2024. Bonner thrived with the additional workload, carrying the ball 197 times for 1,493 yards and 25 touchdowns. He averaged 7.6 yards per carry and 135.7 yards per game. Valencia played 11 games during the past season. Bonner posted at least 100 yards in seven of them. 

Bonner continued to be a threat in the passing game and on special teams in 2024. He made 40 catches, primarily out of the backfield, for 498 yards and four touchdowns and added 443 yards on 14 kickoff returns and two touchdowns, giving him 31 total scores for the season. However, Bonner also fumbled three times, losing all of them. 

“Really separates himself from other backs as a pass catcher and has played some slot and outside receiver during his prep career,” Biggins wrote. “Catches the ball very naturally and not just on screens but can get vertical as well. Tough to find a real weakness in his game and with his size, explosiveness and skill set, Bonner has a chance to be very special at the next level.”

Along with his football accolades, Bonner has been a standout sprinter during his time at Valencia. He qualified for the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) state championships in the 100-meter dash as a sophomore in 2024, and ran his heat in 10.57 seconds to earn a place in the finals. Bonner finished in eighth after running a 10.61-second race. 

Injuries prevented him from participating in most of the outdoor track season during his junior year. However, Bonner can still boast a 10.48-second personal best in the 100-meter dash and 21.80-second time in the 200-meter dash, setting both as a sophomore in 2024 according to Athletic.net. Bonner also managed to set a personal record in the 400-meter dash in 2025 by running the race in 49.55 seconds. 

“Has a track background and his speed shows up on the football field as well,” Biggins wrote. “Is both quick and top-end fast and can hit the hole with suddenness. Able to be at full speed after just a few strides and has some wiggle and make-you-miss ability in the hole as well.”

Assuming Bonner signs with the Huskies, he’ll be the highest-rated player successfully recruited by position coach Scottie Graham. Bonner also continues a pattern in Graham’s approach. 

Since arriving at Washington, Graham has signed at least two running backs in each of his classes. One traditionally fits the build of a power runner, while the other usually has a strong sprinting background. 

Graham added Adam Mohammed and Jordan Washington during the 2024 recruiting cycle. The 215-pound Mohammed had a frame comparable to Coleman, while Washington finished as the California runner-up in the 100-meter dash in both 2022 and 2023. A year later during the 2025 cycle, Graham signed 230-pound running back Julian McMahan and Quaid Carr, who reached the CIF Southern Section Finals as a sprinter. All four are expected to be on UW’s roster in 2026. 

The Huskies and Graham had their power running back committed early during the 2026 cycle. Ansu Sanoe, a 6-1, 210-pound tailback from Lakeridge High in Lake Oswego, Ore., pledged to join Washington on April 4, 2024, becoming the first player to commit to Washington’s 2026 class. Partnering Bonner and Sanoe seems to fill UW’s needs for both running back profiles. 

“(Bonner) can really turn the corner and once he gets out in the open field,” Biggins wrote, “he’s going to out run just about any defender, no matter what kind of angle they have on him.”

Yet Graham was also instrumental in the recruitment of Dre Pollard, a 6-0, 175-pound two-way star at Clark High in Las Vegas. Pollard — like Washington, Carr and now Bonner — is an accomplished high school sprinter who won the 2024 Nevada Class 4A state championship in the 100-meter dash. He rushed for 707 yards and eight touchdowns on just 54 carries at Clark according to MaxPreps. 

Pollard, however, may play defensive back in college. He made 32 tackles, an interception and deflected two passes in 2024. A source with knowledge of the situation reiterated to The Seattle Times that the Huskies are still open to Pollard playing either running back or defensive back at UW.

UW’s 2026 recruiting class