UW Class of 2014 Recruiting Thread

[RegentDenali]

After a visit to Washington this past Spring, he said he knew that's where he wanted to play his college football.

"It was an easy choice for me," Daniel said. "I've always wanted to go there, I've always liked Washington. I like the academics and the area. I'm going to take other visits but in my mind, my decision is pretty much made."

On the subject of Coach Tosh Lupoi who led in the recruitment:

"I really like him a lot," he said. "He was real excited when I told him I was committing. Coach (Steve) Sarkisian was excited too. It was a great feeling and I'm excited about the news."



Sounds like a guy whose set to come here which is great. Just hope he sticks with the commit 14 months from now.

 

[Ironbreaker]

The Huskies nab an enormous (figurative and literal) commit for the 2015 class


Jacob Daniel is a mountain of a man at defensive tackle, standing either 6-4 or 6-5 depending on which recruiting service you visit, and weighing in at around 300 pounds.
Hailing from Fresno California, the high school junior already held offers from schools like Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee and UCLA. That offer sheet speaks for itself.
Scout.com has Daniel ranked as a 4 star player, and their #6 defensive tackle in the nation. 247 has him as the #6 defensive tackle, #4 player in California, and #24 player in his class with a composite score of .988. Rivals has him as a 4 star player.
Here's Greg Biggins on Daniel:

At a rock solid 6-4, 300 pounds, Daniel is a pure tackle all the way and a very good one. He’s everything you want in a tackle prospect and has unlimited upside. Daniel has that great frame, naturally strong, a quick first step, uses his hands very well and can get up the field. He's a wide body who will require a double team and as long as he continues to work hard off the field and maintains his motor, Daniel should be a special player
​

All the clamoring for better recruiting on the interior of the defensive line appears to have an answer: with Elijah Qualls redshirting this year, Natrell Curtis in the boat for the 2014 class, and Daniel for 2015, that's a great run of 4 star DTs for the program (and Daniel could easily jump to 5 star status).
Daniel has apparently been onboard for a few days, but is only now making it public:

Daniel, whos rated among the top 50 players in the 2015 national class, said he actually committed last Tuesday to UW, BIG TIME prospect
— Greg Biggins (@GregBiggins) [ame="https://twitter.com/GregBiggins/statuses/401749194848739328"]November 16, 2013[/ame]​

As they say though, now his recruitment has just begun.


I read stuff like this and my angst towards Sark lessens.

 

[RegentDenali]

Another big get for the 2015 class. And he's a local:

4 star RB/DB Austin Joyner (Marysville, WA) has committed to UW today.

Joyner is a member of the Scout 300, and had already received offers from WSU and Oregon St.

He is also a two way athlete who plays the DB position at a high level as well.

The Huskies 2015 class now contains 3:

4 star OL Trey Adams
5 star DT Jacob Daniel
4 star RB/DB Austin Joyner

It's now ranked as #1 in the PAC.

Trey Adams (Wenatchee, WA) sounds like a lock as well as he said it would take Steve Sarkisian leaving or NCAA sanctions to get him to go anywhere else.

 

[RegentDenali]

CB John Plattenburg Jr. (Houston, TX), who had been a lean towards UW over the summer, but said he wanted to visit others, committed to UCLA today. Oregon and Baylor were also pursuing him heavy.

 

[Ironbreaker]

Another big get for the 2015 class. And he's a local:

4 star RB/DB Austin Joyner (Marysville, WA) has committed to UW today.

Joyner is a member of the Scout 300, and had already received offers from WSU and Oregon St.

ahhh man. I thought I had you beat on this one but I'm a day behind!

Great work, Sark. Making the Dawgfather proud!

Austin Joyner Commits to Washington - UW Dawg Pound

 

[Ironbreaker]

So how are we looking for rankings on upcoming classes compared to the rest of the pac12?

 

[RegentDenali]

So how are we looking for rankings on upcoming classes compared to the rest of the pac12?

The 2014 class is projected to be much smaller in size. Probably 15-17 recruits. We've added a lot of scholarships the past two classes, so this will be smaller one. So it will be more difficult to avg it against other PAC schools that could be taking classes of 22+. So this is a class where of course you want to to end up Top25, but the ranking number might lag or jump artificially higher going into January until the final LOIs are in.

It's why you seeing a lot of activity with the 2015 class as well. That class will be 20+ scholarship and want to make sure they are loaded up with the right ones early.

 

[RegentDenali]

And this is blowing my mind if true and truly a WTF??? happened moment!!!

Multiple sites are reporting that 4 star WR Erik Brown (Fontana, CA), who had committed over the summer to UW, has flipped to Cal today???

I'm sure there is more to this story we don't know, but still.....Uggghhh.....

 

[Ironbreaker]

Yeah. I saw that as well.

Oh well. Opens a slot for a lineman. Go get'em Sark!

 

[RegentDenali]

Absolutely twilight zone-ish day for UW recruiting, but at least we get some 411 out of it.

First the Erik Brown announcement.

Then a few hours later, our other 2014 WR Rahshead Johnson twittered that he was planning to decommit as well. But then after reportedly talking to multiple UW coaches via phone, he recommitted to UW.

The Erik Brown situation may still be fluid, and could be a Dawg come LOI.

But the Johnson situation is bringing things, mostly positive to light.

Johnson is concerned about the obvious logjam of WRs at UW right. I think it's the angle the other schools like Cal are using to attempt flips this year.

UW graduates only 2 SR WRs this year. Kevin Smith and Antavius Sims. But the bench is absolutely loaded with young talent. Campbell, Hall, Mickens, Ross, Taylor, and Stringfellow just to name some of them. Stringfellow was an absolute beast when unleashed at UCLA last week. And he's a freshman. Sark has recruited lights out at the WR spot the past couple years, and it's really starting to show.

Now factor in the strong possibility that Kasen Williams will come back for his senior season, which just adds to depth of the WR corps.

For a player like Rahshead Johnson, who is being promised he will start playing sooner, than later, it obviously creates concern. Johnson also plays the CB position and he wants to explore that as well at the school he attends. Reaffirming to him that he can get a shot at that side of his game being developed as well by coach Heyward and the D crew was involved as well.

But at least for now, crisis adverted, and he's back to being committed to UW.

 

[RegentDenali]

4 star JUCO WR Eric Lauderdale (Mission Veijo C.C., CA) has de-committed from Tennessee. Florida, Miami, ASU, and Washington had been recruiting him and continued after this initial decision on Tenn. Now he's reopened his status.

He's now stated that Washington and Florida are likely to get official visits from him.

As for another WR recruit....

Huskies are still in the mix. He will be visiting both schools as mentioned, but sounds like he doesn't plan on making a final decision till close to LOI day. He may end up sticking with a SEC school like Tenn or Florida, but good that we are still working it. Considering how bad things are looking with the Florida offense right now, got to be a boost to UWs chances.

 

[RegentDenali]

2014 4 star OL Andrew Mike (Tucson, AZ) whose one of our top targets should be officially visiting UW during Apple Cup weekend.

 

[RegentDenali]

Along with Andrew Mike visiting during the Apple Cup, it's now confirmed that 3 star ILB Michael Lazarus (Berkeley, CA) will be officially visiting as well. It will probably come down to ASU and UW for his final decision.

With S/WR Jaleel Wadood decommiting from Cal recently, there was a lot of speculation that UCLA or USC would be his choice, but it appears UW is going to pursue as well.

4 star safety/OLB Koa Farmer (Sherman Oaks, CA) remains a Cal commit, but still appears to be taking visits and UW could be still involved.

2 of the highest rated JUCO DLs on the west coast, Claudeson Pelon and Rika Levi, both appear to be interested in UW. One or both of them could be joining UW in 2014. This could instantly help setup UW for a lot more 4-3 looks next fall and greatly improve the run stuffing.

 

[mcnabb7542]

Along with Andrew Mike visiting during the Apple Cup, it's now confirmed that 3 star ILB Michael Lazarus (Berkeley, CA) will be officially visiting as well. It will probably come down to ASU and UW for his final decision.

With S/WR Jaleel Wadood decommiting from Cal recently, there was a lot of speculation that UCLA or USC would be his choice, but it appears UW is going to pursue as well.

4 star safety/OLB Koa Farmer (Sherman Oaks, CA) remains a Cal commit, but still appears to be taking visits and UW could be still involved.

2 of the highest rated JUCO DLs on the west coast, Claudeson Pelon and Rika Levi, both appear to be interested in UW. One or both of them could be joining UW in 2014. This could instantly help setup UW for a lot more 4-3 looks next fall and greatly improve the run stuffing.

That would be a huge get if they land both DT's I know Wilcox would go to a stout 4-3, and I think that would benefit the D better....

 

[RegentDenali]

More 4-3 would be awesome. Kikaha lining up more at the natural 4-3 DE spot would set him up for even more QB sacks and even some exotic looks with him at OLB.

Their is some analysis going on that with the number of NFL draftees, seniors, transfers, and some that are post grad eligible to come back in 2014, but won't, that the class of 2014 could go bigger then expected. Some we're predicting a smaller 15-18 scholys for 2014, but also depending on grey shirts, etc... We could be looking at a class closer to 20 come LOI. At 8 hard commits right now, lots more work to do till LOI. 8-9 Ws will help for sure. No doubts from recruits that this team isn't stuck at 7 wins forever.

Go Dawgs!

 

[RegentDenali]

Wish we had double the amount of recruits visiting this weekend, because what a show they would of got:

But 4 were confirmed to have visited on official or unofficial visit basis:

OT Andrew Mike
OT John Turner
LB Michael Lazarus who may get an offer from the Huskies very soon.

And it was very interesting to hear the 5-star All-Purpose Back Joe Mixon, who is considered one of the top prospects in the nation for the 2014 class, was back to UW to visit and watch the Apple cup after taking an official visit during the Arizona game.
Wisconsin, Oklahoma, and Cal were reported to be his current high choices, but sounds like UW could still be in the picture as well.

Go Dawgs!!!

 

[Ironbreaker]

“@A_Jude: Add: Huskies feel "really good" about their chances with five-star recruit Joe Mixon.”

 

[RegentDenali]

“@A_Jude: Add: Huskies feel "really good" about their chances with five-star recruit Joe Mixon.”

 

[mcnabb7542]

Alright now that we got the head coaching postion resolved, attention needs to get back on this recruiting class. I don't think its too late to still make this class count, so I'm basing the information I've posted below from Scouts.com, (Dawgman)

As of this morning 7 commits, the class so far is 61st in ranking.

Curtis OG four star
Lewis S three star
James OT three star
Lockett DB four star
Washington S three star
Blakley, TE/DE three star
Hill DE three star

Now this is what Dawgman .com has left after Sark left, of course there is gonna be period of kids testing the waters after something like this so its early.

 

[RegentDenali]

Lockett could be gone as coach Heyward was his primary recruiter. Sark will obviously try to flip him to USC if they have the scholarship spot.