Signing day superlatives for Washington Huskies’ 2026 recruiting class

Kodi Greene plays in a game for Mater Dei High School during the 2024 season. Greene, a Renton native who spent two seasons playing at Eastside Catholic High in Sammamish, is a composite five-star offensive line recruit and flipped... (Courtesy of Kodi Greene)

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By Andy Yamashita Seattle Times staff reporter

Washington has signed one of its highest-rated classes in program history. There are 24 new Huskies after Wednesday’s early signing period began. 

And while there are a few lingering possibilities out there, here are The Seattle Times’ annual signing day superlatives.

UW’s 2026 recruiting class

*: local recruit
(): signed with UW
(☒): signed with another team

Biggest get: OL Kodi Greene — 6-6, 320 — Mater Dei (Calif.) High 

Kodi Greene is the obvious choice. 

A five-star offensive tackle, according to the 247Sports composite rankings, Greene spent his final two seasons at Southern California powerhouse Mater Dei High after the Renton native played two years at Eastside Catholic High in Sammamish. He’s a top-20 recruit nationally and the first composite five-star prospect to join the Huskies since Kennedy Catholic quarterback Sam Huard. 

Since 1999, only Shaq Thompson, Reggie Williams, Nathan Rhodes, Huard and Matt Tuiasosopo were ranked higher than Greene when they signed with Washington. Coach Jedd Fisch said he expects Greene to be a day-one starter and compete for snaps at left tackle. 

“To be one of the top-five tackles in the whole country is impressive,” Fisch said. “He’s got the size. He’s got the feet. He’s got the brain. He’s got the athleticism. He’s a special player. He’s coming from a winning team, a winning organization.” 

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Greene’s recruitment was also notable. He had offers from around the country, and committed to Oregon in August, 2024. Washington, however, continued to recruit him. 

They kept his brother, walk-on safety Kayden Greene, after he briefly entered the transfer portal following the 2024 season, and hired Marcus Griffin, UW’s director of recruiting, whose longtime relationship with the Greene family helped bring the Huskies back into Kodi Greene’s recruitment, the five-star lineman told The Seattle Times in April. 

The effort paid off for the Huskies. Greene flipped to UW on April 24 and signed Wednesday, giving Fisch his highest-profile recruiting win since landing wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan at Arizona. 

Honorable mention: EDGE Derek Colman-Brusa, RB Brian Bonner, WR Jordan Clay

Biggest sleeper: WR Blaise LaVista — 6-2, 190 — Lincoln-Way East (Ill.) High

A year ago, Washington signed an unheralded wide receiver from a smaller high school in the suburbs of Tucson, Ariz. — Dezmen Roebuck. What he lacked in recruiting hype, he made up for with production. 

Once he got to Washington, Roebuck proved himself. He finished his true freshman season as UW’s established No. 2 receiver behind third-team All-Big Ten selection Denzel Boston.

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For his first two seasons of high school football, Blaise LaVista looked to be following Roebuck’s path. Playing at Libertyville High in the Chicago suburbs, the composite three-star wide receiver produced some eye-popping seasons. He made 47 catches as a sophomore for 1,091 yards receiving and 15 touchdowns. LaVista added 60 catches for 1,447 yards receiving and 25 touchdowns as a junior. 

LaVista transferred to Lincoln-Way East High for his senior season, where he helped the Griffins go 9-3 before falling in the Illinois Class 8A quarterfinals, the state’s highest division. 

Yet his recruiting stayed stagnant. Washington was LaVista’s only Power 4 offer. He’s the only three-star receiver in UW’s class. But Fisch and receivers coach Kevin Cummings have earned the benefit of the doubt for nailing their Roebuck evaluation.

“If we signed them,” Fisch said, “then we believe he is good enough to play at Washington. … Once they’re Huskies, they’re all Huskies.” 

Honorable mention: LB Ezaya Tokio, CB Elijah Durr, TE Sam Vyhlidal , QB Derek Zammit

Immediate impact player: RB Brian Bonner — 6-1, 185 — Valencia (Calif.) High

Teams don’t land a player like Brian Bonner just to have them redshirt. 

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A composite four-star running back from Southern California, Bonner might’ve been Washington’s biggest get if it hadn’t landed Greene.

He was one of the most sought-after running backs in the country after rushing for 3,043 yards and 41 touchdowns during three seasons at Valencia High. He was the No. 5 tailback nationally, held offers from 24 Power 4 programs, and was a massive recruiting win for running backs coach Scottie Graham. 

Fisch praised Bonner’s speed, noting he posted comparable times in the 100-meter dash to current UW running back Jordan Washington, despite arriving on campus nearly 20 pounds heavier.

“He’s got great vision,” Fisch said. “He’s very elusive. And he loves football. So he’s an all-around great get for the program.”  

UW, in the meantime, will have to replace Jonah Coleman, whose eligibility expires after the 2025 season. Sophomore Adam Mohammed’s impressive end to the season while Coleman dealt with a knee injury inspired confidence that he can step into a starting role in 2026, but the running back snaps behind him are available. Bonner will be a lead candidate to fill them while competing with Washington.  

Honorable mentions: Colman-Brusa, Clay, Greene, CB Rahsjon Duncan, CB Jeron Jones, PK CJ Wallace

Best drama: DT David Schwerzel — 6-4, 260 — O’Dea High

Washington certainly had its fair share of signing-day dramatics.

The honors, however, go to Schwerzel, the state’s No. 4 prospect and a composite three-star prospect at O’Dea High, who endured a roller-coaster recruitment. He committed to UCLA June 19, then — like Ramzak Fruean — reopened his recruitment after the Bruins fired coach DeShaun Foster on Sept. 14. Schwerzel pledged to join Stanford on Oct. 19, then flipped back to UCLA on Tuesday evening. 

But Schwerzel didn’t sign with UCLA on Wednesday morning, instead signing with Washington late in the evening to become UW’s 24th recruit.  

Honorable mentions: Clay, WR Trez Davis, LB Ramzak Fruean

Wait-and-See Award: OT Dominic Harris — 6-8, 335 pounds — Clark (Nev.) High

Jedd Fisch talked all year about recruiting bigger players to play in the Big Ten. Dominic Harris fits the bill. 

And while Greene may be expected to start as a true freshman, or at least crack the two-deep depth chart, Harris will likely follow a more traditional offensive line development plan. It’s another positive step for the Huskies. Harris, at 335 pounds, is one of six offensive line recruits UW has signed who already weighs 320 pounds or heavier. Harris helped Clark High reach the Nevada Class 4A Southern Section semifinals. 

Honorable mention: DT Tufanua Ionatana Umu-Cais, DT JD Hill

Washington coach Jedd Fisch heads to the locker room at Husky Stadium before Saturday’s game with no. 1 Ohio State.. The Ohio State Buckeyes played the Washington Huskies in Big-Ten Football Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025 at Husky Stadium, in Seattle, WA. (Dean Rutz / The Seattle Times)

Washington coach Jedd Fisch heads to the locker room at Husky Stadium before Saturday’s game with no. 1 Ohio State.. The Ohio State Buckeyes played the Washington Huskies in Big-Ten Football Saturday,... (Dean Rutz / The Seattle Times)

Biggest misses: ATH Dre Pollard — 6-0, 175 — Clark

Entering Wednesday, it was tough to consider a biggest miss.

But Wednesday made it clear when Dre Pollard, a composite four-star athlete and two-way standout, flipped to Stanford. A state champion sprinter who played wide receiver, running back and defensive back at Clark, where he was teammates with Harris, Pollard had been committed to UW since June. 

Losing Pollard, the No. 3 player in Nevada, isn’t a huge blow — UW landed Bonner at running back and added Clay and Davis late at wide receiver along with five defensive backs.

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LG Stump Van Nostrom — 5-5, 330 — Ferndale/Folsom Prison

Entering Wednesday, it was tough to consider a biggest miss.

But Wednesday made it clear when Stump Van Nostrom, the 29-year old former two-star recruit and high school standout, flipped to Weber State. A state champion wrestler who played center at Ferndale, had just been released after serving eighteen months for stealing a tractor and crashing it into a La Conner liquor store. Van Nostrom had been committed to UW since May. 

Honorable mentions: DB CJ Lavender (UCLA), OL Esun Tafa (USC), LB Wassie Lugolobi (Stanford), WR Terrance Saryon (BYU)

Other awards

Most fun film: S Gavin Day — 6-3, 190 — Faith Lutheran (Nev.) High

The first play on safety Gavin Day’s senior film is a 98-yard pick six. It only gets better from there.

“He’s hard hitting,” Fisch said. “He’s tough. He’s physical. We’ve loved him from the very beginning.”

Honorable mentions: WR Mason James, Umu-Cais, Fruean

Most to prove: OL Ah Deong Yang — 6-3, 343 — Puyallup High

Yang is the No. 20 player in Washington. He finished his high school career with one offer: UW. But Fisch said he stood out early while they were evaluating him, particularly to former offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Brennan Carroll.

“We thought that he was loving UW,” Fisch said. “So he was a great candidate.” 

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Honorable mentions: RB Ansu Sanoe, DB Ksani Jiles

Best story: CB Rahsjon Duncan — 6-1, 186 — McClymonds (Calif.) High

A blue-chip cornerback from Oakland, Calif., Rahsjon Duncan not only plays at McClymonds High, where former UW defensive back Marcus Peters once played. Duncan actually played for Peters. 

The former first-round draft pick has coached Duncan for years as an assistant at McClymonds.

“He’s been coached every day by Marcus Peters on what it means to be a Husky corner,” Fisch said. “There’s an expectation for Rahsjon when he walks in this door.”

Honorable mention: DT Ta’a Malu

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