After Dixon's Departure, Here's How Husky Corners Stack Up

Thaddeus Dixon is on his way to North Carolina, following a bevy of University of Washington cornerbacks who went out the door once the regular season ended, even with secondary snaps sure to be available for the coming season.

A 12-game starter who enjoyed notable success once Jedd Fisch's staff took over and promoted him, Dixon stood to lose his job to highly regarded Arizona transfer Tacario Davis, advertised as a bigger and better player after coming off a second-team All-Big 12 season, and committed but not signed just yet.

The downside to this new age of well-compensated and transfer-minded college players is everyone wants a job guarantee and no one is willing to stand in there and compete for playing time. By leaving, Dixon, who was an All-Big Ten honorable-mention selection, basically conceded he couldn't keep his position with Davis coming to town.

Dixon is one of four one-time UW corners who have left the program, following 15-game 2023 starter Elijah Jackson, who Dixon beat out this past season and has committed to TCU; Curley Reed, who appears pledged to Louisiana; and Darren Barkins, who hasn't revealed a new football destination.

Entering spring practice in two-plus months, returning UW starter Ephesians Prysock and Davis likely will be reunited as the No. 1 corners after playing side by side in Tucson in 2023, giving the Huskies a pair of towering coverage guys with considerable NFL possibilities.

The Huskies can't be faulted for wanting to upgrade the position and no doubt were actively looking for a replacement for Dixon, who supposedly was out of eligibility before the NCAA acted late and awarded him and other one-time JC players like him added eligibility.

Dixon apparently wasn't ready to enter the NFL draft just yet, even after coming off his stellar Husky season with 10 pass break-ups, or he would be headed in in that direction, not Chapel Hill.

Following Dixon's departure, the Huskies have seven scholarship players in the cornerback mix. Here's who's who:

TACARIO DAVIS

A 6-foot-4, 190-pound senior from Long Beach, California, he's a 23-game starter who appeared in 30 games for Arizona. He piled up 22 pass break-ups over the past two seasons, including 16 in 2023 alone. He received All-Pac-12 honorable-mention accolades two years ago as well as his recent All-Big 12 honors.

EPHESIANS PRYSOCK

The most seasoned of the Husky corners, the 6-foot-4, 193-pound Prysock, a senior from Canyon Country, California, has started 29 of 36 games at the UW and Arizona. He's collected 13 career PBUs, a lower number because opponents often don't throw in his direction; and he was an All-Pac-12 honorable-mention choice in 2023.

LEROY BRYANT

No explanation was given, but the 5-foot-11, 180-pound Bryant from Fairfield, California, started the Sun Bowl against Louisville instead of Dixon. It would surprise no one if he simply beat out the veteran that week. When healthy, Bryant has been on a fast track. He played in seven games as a true freshman in 2023, including all three postseason games. A hand injury relegated him to six appearances this past season as a redshirt freshman.

CALEB PRESLEY

The Seattle product was a 4-star recruit who was celebrated as a last-minute flip from Oregon by then Husky coach Kalen DeBoer, but he hasn't played at all over two seasons. Something has held back the 6-foot, 177-pound sophomore, though it hasn't been spelled out. He's probably at a make-it or break-it point in his UW career.

ELIAS JOHNSON

Another DeBoer signee, the 6-foot-1, 159-pound corner from Tualatin, Oregon, was injured at times during his freshman season, remains a little on the slender side and hasn't appeared in a UW game yet, so it's time for him move into a full-fledged development stage.

RAMONZ ADAMS JR.

This incoming 6-foot-1, 175-pound player from Smithville, Texas, played four seasons of 5A high school football as a two-way player, appearing in the playoffs. With a nose for the football, he intercepted 11 passes as a junior and senior, including 8 in 2023.

D’ARYHIAN CLEMONS

A highly regarded 6-foot, 185-pound incoming freshman from Spanaway, Washington, Clemons played four seasons of high school football, demonstrating great size and toughness. He was a 1,037-yard rusher as a sophomore. He came up with 5 career interceptions.

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