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Could Kirkland Return to UW for Another Season?

Report says the offensive tackle is pursuing another college season.
Dan Raley|
Could Kirkland Return to UW for Another Season?
Could Kirkland Return to UW for Another Season?

Jaxson Kirkland might not be done with college football just yet.

On Monday, Pro Football Network reported the University of Washington offensive tackle was slowed by an injured ankle much of the season, will have surgery this week to repair it and intends to remove his name from April's NFL draft.

PFN also said it had confirmed the 6-foot-7, 310-pound Kirkland will petition to play another college season, presumably at the UW. 

The Kirkland family said it had no comment regarding PFN's information, neither denying nor confirming anything reported.

Still, it raised an interesting specter for the Huskies — that the new coaching staff led by Kalen DeBoer unexpectedly could have the services of the two-time All-Pac-12 player for yet another season.   

On Dec. 9, Kirkland, who had a season of eligibility remaining because of generous pandemic provisions, announced he was finished with UW football and moving on.

"These past five years have been nothing but a blessing," Kirkland wrote on Instagram. "Ever since I started playing football it was my dream to put on the purple and gold with deep family tradition."

However, Kirkland returned for a fifth season intent on making himself into a first-round NFL draft pick and that didn't happen. In fact, his stock seemed to dip as the Huskies stumbled through a 4-8 season and he clearly was injured at times, missing two games.

It's unclear why Kirkland would have to petition for the eligibility previously afforded him, unless he had signed agreements with agency representation that make this necessary. 

His Husky offensive-line coach, Scott Huff, was the only assistant retained by DeBoer, which means he wouldn't have to become familiar with a new position leader.

Either way, Kirkland has been ruled out of Thursday's East- West Shrine Game in Las Vegas after he was one of three former Huskies who received college all-star game invitations.

Former UW tight end Cade Otton likewise will miss Saturday's Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, because he's recovering from a foot or leg injury that forced him to sit out the season's final two games.

That leaves only center Luke Wattenberg as an active all-star participant from the UW, with him ready to play in the East-West Shrine Game. Kickoff at Allegiant Stadium that day is at 5 p.m. PT and NFL Network will televise the game. 

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Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

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