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Inside The Huskies

Crunching the Numbers, UW Defensive Linemen Look Stingy

Transfers DeSean Watts and Darin Conley bring high grades to Montlake.
Dan Raley|
DeSean Watts has fit in as a new UW defensive tackle.
DeSean Watts has fit in as a new UW defensive tackle. | Dave Sizer photo

Based on the numbers alone that keep rolling in, one has to wonder out loud whether anyone will be able to run on the University of Washington defensive line with any lasting success this coming season.

While it might seem a little blasphemous to suggest as much -- after all, this is the grind-it-out Big Ten Conference in which almost everyone seemingly has a an NFL-bound blocker or two -- consider what the Huskies have going for themselves up front.

A pair of returning starters in Elinneus Davis and the recently reinstated Ta'ita'i Uiagalelei.

A known prodigy in Derek Colman-Brusa.

An SEC import in Kai McClendon.

And now a pair of transfers for the UW in DeSean Watts and Darin Conley who have been singled out analytically for their past performances by the think tank Pro Football Focus and graded rather high.

In ranking the top 10 returning defensive tackles across the league, the stubby 6-foot, 315-pound Watts turns up No. 1 and the 6-foot-3, 290-pound Conley comes in at No. 7.

Granted, these new Huskies received their scores largely based on Big Sky and Mid-American Conference opponents, but in a lot of ways football is football.

"I feel comfortable," UW defensive-line coach Jason Kaufusi said of the group. "They're all really good, talented young men. And each brings something to the table."

Darin Conley arrived from Ball State and played well in the spring.
Darin Conley arrived from Ball State and played well in the spring. | Dave Sizer photo

As for the PFF grading, these guys are measured by things such as beating an offensive lineman off the ball at the snap, collapsing the pocket and blowing up a play in the backfield.

Watts received an 88.9 grade, which far exceeded the next best returning lineman in Oregon's Aumari Washington at 80.0, while Conley drew 75.7.

The overly enthusiastic Watts, who always arrives at practice with his personal volume turned up loud, comes off a Sacramento State season in 2025 in which he finished with 36 tackles, 4 tackles for loss and a pair of sacks.

Rather than rely solely on the stats, Watts carries as much value for coming out of his stance and proceeding to plug up space and jam things up.

Conley similarly had 28 tackles, 4.5 TFLs and 1.5 sacks last season for Ball State, which means he likely was most effective as yet another space-filler.

DeSean Watts comes out of a stance in spring ball.
DeSean Watts comes out of a stance in spring ball. | Dave Sizer photo

Either way, these two Husky newcomers should gain a certain amount of respect from opponents for being recognized in such a lofty manner by PFF for their hard-working ways.

Yet before they can show what they're capable of doing, Watts and Conley need to make sure they play for an extended amount of time.

Snaps could be hard to come by for some people with Kaufusi trying to create a rotation of at least five players culled from a position group that goes nine strong.

Just getting on the field on game day could be their most difficult chore.

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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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