A Draft Streak Is on the Line for Washington
The last time only one Washington Husky heard his name called on draft night was in 2013, when cornerback Desmond Trufant was selected 22nd overall by the Atlanta Falcons. Ten years later, that could be the case again.
While it seems almost certain that offensive lineman Jaxson Kirkland will have his name called at some point over the final two days of the NFL draft, the question is, will anyone else join him?
Washington's streak of nine straight years with multiple players being drafted puts it just behind USC, Alabama, Ohio State and other national powers who have had multiple players selected in 10 straight drafts.
If the streak is to continue, the player most likely to hear his name called is edge rusher Jeremiah Martin. After transferring to Washington from Texas A&M before the 2021 season, he made a huge leap in production during his second year with the Huskies.
In his final season, Martin recorded 11 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks. Those numbers resulted in him being named to the All Pac-12 First Team, but did not get him an invitation to the 2023 NFL Combine.
If Martin goes undrafted, the other top options that could keep the streak going for the Huskies are safety Alex Cook and offensive lineman Henry Bainivalu. Both are potential dart throws for a team towards the end of day three of the draft, but could be great fits in the right system.
Cook, a smart, sure-tackling safety could be asked to be a solid second-stringer with a big role on special teams. Bainivalu, on the other hand, is a big body that could make an impact as a backup guard that can fill in when asked to.
If any of them hear their name called along with Kirkland it feels like Washington fans won't have to wonder about multiple Huskies being selected in one draft for a long time.
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