3 Players Making the Most of UW Spring Practice

Rashid Williams, Jayvon Parker and Dyson McCutcheon have been given plenty of opportunity to move up.

Jedd Fisch, after inheriting just two starters from the University of Washington's national championship runner-up team, had to find some method for picking first-teamers to begin spring football practice.

The new Husky coach went with whatever available tape he could unearth on his players to fill out an initial list of starters.

Among the recipients were wide receiver Rashid Williams, defensive tackle Jayvon Parker and nickeback Dyson McCutcheon. Not only were they selected to get things going, they've held on to their roles ever since.

None of these guys have started a college football game before. Williams has appeared in just one UW outing. Parker plays on without his injured twin brother next to him. McCutcheon, not too long ago, was in the transfer portal.

These are three holdover Huskies making the most of a fresh start and plenty of opportunity with a new coaching staff.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Williams, a redshirt freshman from Brentwood, California, found himself backed up on the depth chart last season behind well-established veterans Rome Odunze, Jalen McMillan and Ja'Lynn Polk, all expecting to go in the NFL Draft in a week and a half.

At the season's end, Williams mentioned how Husky football had been an adjustment for him, what with 16-hour days early consisting of practice, meetings and weight training all stacked on top of one another.

He played only against California and hauled in 2 passes for 30 yards, but in no way was a disappointment. He simply got caught up in his development and now appears ready to make a serious bid for a starting job in a receiver pool that also consists of Denzel Boston, Giles Jackson, Jeremiah Hunter, Keith Reynolds and Cam Sirmon when it comes to the two-deeps.

The 6-foot-3, 297-pound Parker, a junior from Detroit, slid into one of the No. 1 down linemen slots and hasn't come out after two weeks of spring ball.

Jayvon Parker (94) lines up with edge rusher Jacob Lane (48) during spring practice.

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As a freshman in 2022, Parker played right away, appearing in eight games, and increased his time to 13 outings last season. He came up with a sack against Washington State in the Apple Cup two years ago. He has the quickness to play well at this level.

Parker has done all of this without having his twin brother lined up next to him. Armon Parker missed out on his freshman season after tearing up a knee while playing pick-up basketball, joined the team in 2023 but didn't get into any games and he's still slowed by some health issue this spring.

Dyson McCutcheon has been working as the No. 1 Husky nickelback this spring.

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McCutcheon comes from a legendary football family. His grandfather, Lawrence McCutcheon, was a five-time Pro Bowl running back for the Los Angeles Rams and his father, Daylon, was an All-Pac-10 cornerback for USC and an eight-year NFL player for the Cleveland Browns.

This third-generation McCutcheon redshirted in 2021 and played sparingly the next two seasons, appearing in five and seven games,

Thinking he needed a fresh start, the 5-foot-11, 185-pound junior from Claremont, California, entered the transfer portal in January shortly after the coaching change from Kalen DeBoer to Jedd Fisch only to withdraw a short time later and give the Huskies another chance.

The new staff made him the No. 1 nickel to begin spring and nothing's changed since. Grandpa and dad must be proud.

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