UW football flips 4-star WR Jordan Clay from Baylor ahead of signing day

Washington players high-five fans before the start of a game against Colorado State on Aug. 30, 2025, in Seattle. (Jennifer Buchanan / The Seattle Times)

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By Andy Yamashita Seattle Times staff reporter

Two Jedd Fisch recruiting cycles. Two last-minute wide receiver commitments for Washington. 

A year ago, it was Marcus Harris, Mater Dei High’s four-star wide receiver according to the 247Sports composite rankings who chose UW instead of a long-standing commitment to Oklahoma. 

Tuesday, it was Jordan Clay, a 6-foot-3, 200-pound wide receiver from Madison High of San Antonio, who announced he will flip his commitment from Baylor to Washington in a post on his social media accounts. Clay had been pledged to the Bears since July 11, and became the 23rd player to commit to UW’s 2026 recruiting class. The early signing period begins Wednesday. 

“Big-bodied outside receiver whose size really stands out in live evaluations,” Gabe Brooks, 247Sports scouting analyst wrote in an evaluation June 17. “North of 6-2, 200 pounds with a strong, athletic base. Stood out physically in a loaded group of pass catchers at the 2025 Navy All-American Bowl. Plays even larger thanks to enormous hands and acrobatic midair ability. Excels along boundaries thanks to frame, body control, and spatial awareness.” 

Clay is a composite four-star wide receiver who is considered the No. 23 player in Texas, the No. 28 wide receiver and the No. 179 player nationally. Along with offers from Washington and Baylor, he had opportunities at Arizona State, Colorado, Arkansas, Houston, Illinois, Kansas, Kansas State, Miami, Michigan State, Missouri, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Purdue, SMU, Stanford, TCU, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, UCLA, and Utah, among others. 

He’s the third wide receiver to join Washington’s 2026 recruiting class. UW also holds a commitment from composite four-star wide receiver Mason James out of Norman, Okla., and composite three-star receiver Blaise LaVista from Lincoln-Way East High in Frankfort, Ill. Clay was first offered by Washington Nov. 16. 

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“Catch-point bully who’s quite strong with the ball, even amid multiple defenders,” Brooks wrote. “Unafraid to work the intermediate and deep middles with willingness to put (his) body in harm’s way.”

Clay, a Navy All-American Bowl and Polynesian Bowl selection, totaled 108 catches for 2,323 yards and 24 touchdowns during his first three seasons of high school football at Madison, according to 247Sports. He was also a standout hurdler, running a personal-best 14.25-second time in the 110-meter hurdles as a junior. 

Clay’s commitment also means Fisch and the Huskies have landed recruits from Texas in consecutive years. Washington signed composite three-star cornerback Ramonz Adams Jr. from Bastrop, Texas, during the 2025 cycle. 

At Washington, Clay will join a young receiver group crowded with former blue-chip talent. UW signed five wide receivers in 2025, with Dezmen Roebuck and Raiden Vines-Bright starting a majority of its games this season. Former composite four-star Chris Lawson also played considerable snaps while Harris’ season was derailed by injury. Freshman wideout Deji Ajose did not appear in a game this season. 

The Huskies also have a pair of former four-star receivers — sophomore Rashid Williams and redshirt freshman Justice Williams — who will likely be ready for the 2026 season. 

Rashid Williams won a starting spot before the season before suffering a collarbone injury against FCS UC Davis Sept. 6. He was expected to return after the bye week, but sustained a hand injury during practice that Fisch said he didn’t have enough time to return from and was ruled out for the year. Justice Williams, who missed his entire true freshman season with an injury, suffered a toe injury before the Purdue game Nov. 15 and similarly did not have enough time to return this season. 

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But UW will lose several contributors after 2025. Junior Denzel Boston is a candidate to depart early for the NFL after two productive seasons under Fisch, and senior Omari Evans is out of eligibility. Sophomore Audric Harris will reportedly enter the transfer portal when it opens Jan. 2. 

Clay may be the ideal replacement for the 6-4 Boston. Only Justice Williams is listed taller than Clay among the wide receivers on UW’s roster in 2025, and both may be in contention for the X-receiver spot Boston has occupied for the past two seasons in 2026. 

“More of a dirty work run-after-catch weapon who plays angry and relies on strength in those opportunities,” Brooks wrote. “Wins with physical traits at this stage; can enhance separation consistency and big-play potential with improved quick-twitch athleticism.”

UW’s 2026 recruiting class

*local recruit

Andy Yamashita: ayamashita@seattletimes .com. Andy Yamashita is a sports reporter at The Seattle Times, primarily covering Washington Huskies football.