Every Game Hatchett Misses Puts Him Closer to 2027 Return

The UW's usual starting center would have preferred to play so well this fall the NFL would have drafted him and he would have used just four college seasons.

Landen Hatchett is shown in healthier times in 2025. | Dave Sizer

Landen Hatchett turned up questionable on the latest Big Ten availability report on Wednesday for this weekend's Washington-USC football game, which at least was a step up from the doubtful status he carried into last week's Minnesota outing.

It's been a long and arduous recovery for last year's starting Husky center who broke his snapping wrist against Illinois, finished that game, started and tried to use his other hand the following week against Wisconsin before he finally waved a white flag on playing right away again.

Nearly a full year later, he's still not back, having missed four games this season, and he seems no closer to gaining medical clearance this week than before. Making matters worse, he was voted in as a captain for the second consecutive season and not been able to uphold those duties.

If there is any sort of benefit coming from his absence it's that for every game the 6-foot-3, 315-pound Hatchett misses this fall, it puts him one outing closer to taking advantage of the new NCAA eligibility rule change and returning for a fifth season in 2027.

Landen Hatchett after wrist surgery last fall. | Hatchet

Hatchett is among a handful of Huskies who are in their fourth year of college football without using a redshirt and have one more season available to them if they choose to use it.

Others who fit into this category are edge rusher Jacob Lane, safety Alex McLaughlin, linebacker Xe'ree Alexander and running back Jayden Limar.

Players now have five years to play five full seasons if they wish, which makes redshirting and other waivers obsolete.

The younger Hatchett never came close to redshirting as a freshman in 2023, appearing in nine Husky games before suffering an ACL tear in his right knee during practice leading up to the Sugar Bowl and CFP semifinal game against Texas in New Orleans.

Landen Hatchett enters the 2024 Sugar Bowl on crutches after injuring a knee in practice and having surgery. | Skylar Lin Visuals

Every game he doesn't play, Hatchett probably slips in his NFL regard some. So a full season return in 2027 might be more of a reality for him.

Obviously, he wanted come out this season and play so well, been drafted in an acceptable round and any thoughts of him returning for a fifth season would have been moot.

Meantime, everyone will sit back and see if Hatchett has to sit a fifth game for this Husky team, which seemed unfathomable entering this season.