Don't Look Now, But Rainey-Sale Is In UW Rearview Mirror

Zaydrius Rainey-Sale is that car in the rear-view mirror coming up fast, incredibly fast, uncomfortably fast.

He's gone from a dot in the distance to a full-blown grill now riding on your bumper.

Do you pull over or try to outrun him?

Either way, Rainey-Sale is one of those rare talents who could pass by all of the University of Washington linebackers at some point, maybe next year, maybe sooner, and most of them have been playing fairly solid these days when healthy and NCAA approved.

"If you watch every week, he's played more and more snaps and rightfully so," Husky defensive coordinator Ryan Walters said this week. "The guy is playing well, he's playing fast and he's playing physical."

In the 13-10 loss at Wisconsin, the 6-foot-3, 225-pound freshman from Tacoma went from 27 snaps the week before against Illinois to 49 against the Badgers. That's rapid advancement.

After getting medically cleared from knee surgery from his high school days, Rainey-Sale has appeared in four games, enough time to verify what everyone was saying about him when he signed, choosing the Huskies over Florida State and UCLA.

That he was the best freshman arriving in the UW Class of 2024. that he would play immediately when healthy, that he would wow everyone with his size and skill set.

Done, done and done.

"He controls how much he plays with how he performs in practice," Walters said. "I would anticipate the trend of him getting better every week so his playing time will increase. "

Zaydrius Rainey-Sale has appeared in four UW games so far. | Dave Sizer photo

Rainey-Sale is big for a linebacker, made that more impressive by the fact he runs so well -- see him against Illinois, hitting a receiver 25 yards downfield for a pass break-up and creating an interception for cornerback Tacario Davis.

He's more than tough enough as a freshman, giving a Wisconsin player a healthy shove after the guy got in the way on the sideline.

The next players who get in his way might be other Huskies.

With his rapid rise, Rainey-Sale could complicate things for his coaches and his teammates by forcing his way into the starting lineup before the season is done.

That's not an idle threat at all. It's what happen when you're an elite player. You don't sit those kind of guys when a game begins. You maximize their playing time.

Sophomore Deven Bryant has played consistently this season and he's been the only linebacker to start all nine games.

Linebackers Xe'ree Alexander (10) and Zaydrius Rainey-Sale (23) bring down Illinois back Aiden Laughery. | Dave Sizer photo

Central Florida junior transfer Xe'ree Alexander comes off a 10-tackle game that followed up a 12-tackle showing.

Highly decorated Arizona senior transfer Jacob Manu continues to sit out to preserve his 2026 eligibility, but likely will be back for the season-ending Oregon game and a bowl appearance.

Meantime, Rainey-Sale is coming up fast on all of these veterans, to the point something might have to give in the opening lineup.

"If he ends up winning a starting job, that means we've gotten better, so I'm all for it," Walters said. "But he's got to go out there and earn it."

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