Inside The Huskies

UW Fresh Start (No. 12): Covington Needs to Play Himself Into a Corner

The Huskies need two new starting coverage guys and the Arizonan is a strong candidate.
Dan Raley|
UW Fresh Start (No. 12): Covington Needs to Play Himself Into a Corner
UW Fresh Start (No. 12): Covington Needs to Play Himself Into a Corner

Midway through spring football practice, Jacobe Covington became a full-fledged cornerback for the University of Washington after his former coaches took a look at him in multiple positions.

All that was left for him was to wait. 

No matter how well he played moving forward, Covington would have to bide his time until the Huskies' starting corners Trent McDuffie and Kyler Gordon were done with the college game.

Each one was a first-team All-Pac-12 selection and is now being touted as a first-round pick in April's NFL draft.

Covington simply wasn't going unseat either the mighty McDuffie or the greatness that is Gordon. Those two since said their goodbyes to the UW football program and no thanks to remaining eligibility, and presumably hired agents.

Which means it's Covington's turn, if he's ready, to become the next big thing for the Husky secondary. One or both corners usually get drafted. 

Covington has the reputation, size and opportunity to be great, to become the next McDuffie or Gordon, if not Kevin King, Byron Murphy or Elijah Molden.

At 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds, Covington is taller and longer than his predecessors. He also might be a much more physical player than both of them. 

Yet it will be totally up to this Arizona native to play as just as smart and error-free as his high-profile ex-teammates.

Jacobe Covington went from safety to cornerback in spring football. 

Jacobe Covington greets Kamren Fabiculanan in practice. 

Jacobe Covington celebrates his first career sack. 

Last April, Jacobe Covington moved to cornerback. 

Jacobe Covington made a bid for more time in spring. 

A month and a half until spring practice, we're offering gathered intel and observations on the UW football personnel left to DeBoer in a series of stories on every scholarship player from No. 0 to 99. We'll review each Husky's previous starting experience, if applicable, and determine what comes next.

As is the case with any coaching change, it's a new football beginning for everyone, including for the Huskies' No. 12 on the defense.

Covington, even in a reserve role, played in all 12 UW games last season and came up with 5 tackles, including an 8-yard sack against Arkansas State that pleased him no end (see the above photo gallery for his enthusiastic celebration).

UW Starter or Not: As a one-time 4-star recruit who said no thanks to Oklahoma, Texas A&M, LSU, Arizona State and Nebraska, Covington entered the Husky program as highly regarded as any defensive back since Budda Baker. While a huge opportunity awaits, he won't be just handed a starting job. He's one of three veteran players vying for two spots — joined by UC Davis transfer Jordan Perryman, a 34-game starter and first-team All-Big Sky selection, and fellow sophomore Mishael Powell, who pulled three opening assignments when McDuffie got banged up or the Huskies went with an extra defensive back — and a host of younger players waiting to impress and move up. Covington rates as much of a chance of any of these candidates to become a Husky starter.

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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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