UW Roster Review, No. 2-99: Game is Never Over for Westover, a Jack-of-All-Trades
Jack Westover was nearly invisible this spring. Through 15 University of Washington practices, the jack-of-all-trades was in uniform, but he remained pretty much out of sight.
But that's the beauty of this 6-foot-3, 250-pound tight end, H-back or fullback and whatever role the Huskies put him in.
Westover does the dirty work behind the scenes, the occasional hero play when opponents are least expecting it.
The UW wasn't going to showcase him during the spring. It much prefers to save him for that very moment when everything is on the line and somebody such as Jack needs to step up and either knock someone down or score.
"I like to think I'm really a physical player," Westover said prior to the 2020 season. "That's what it was all about last year, was finding a role, finding a way to contribute."
Going down the roster in numerical order, this is another of our post-spring assessments of all of the Husky talent at hand, gleaned from a month of observations, as a way to keep everyone engaged during the offseason.
Westover, a sophomore from Bellevue, Washington, and Mount Si High School in nearby Snoqualmie, received a scholarship before the pandemic season for his heroic efforts since arriving on campus.
He played just two games of high school football before breaking his collarbone and missing out on a chance to get recruited. He was a basketball player until turning out in pads and a helmet as a senior on a whim.
Westover redshirted at Washington his first season in 2018, but worked his way into the lineup the following season. He played in all 13 games. He scored at Arizona on a 3-yard touchdown pass from Jacob Eason, drifting out of the backfield to get open and making fans back home scramble to call up the UW football roster to see who he was.
Last season, Westover started two games as the Huskies went with different formations to begin each outing, manning a most unusual role. He ran the ball three times against Oregon State, twice more against Stanford. He caught another pass against Arizona, only this one didn't reach the end zone. He knocked a lot of people down.
Jack Westover (37) catches up with high school teammate Jesiah Irish.
UW Athletics
"You want to be known as a blue-collar hard worker and that is Westie," UW Jimmy Lake said.
Westover, who wears No. 37 same as kicker Tim Horn, enters the new season in a tight-end room that's never been deeper, and he's a big part of that.
All-America candidate and senior Cade Otton plays ahead of freshman Mark Redman and sophomore Devin Culp, all NFL prospects with huge size; legacy sons Caden Jumper and Zeke Pelluer, who have inherited genes; JC standout Quentin Moore and a host of others in Mark West, Wilson Schwartz, Carson Smith and Javon Forward.
Put Westover in there, too, especially when there's something big on the line. He always been ready for this assignment, even if it's covert.
"I've been a Husky my whole life," he said. "My dad has had season tickets for like 40 years. It was really a no-brainer."
Westover's 2021 Outlook: Projected reserve tight end and H-back
UW Service Time: Played in 17 games, started 2
Stats: 4 receptions for 18 yards and 1 TD; 5 carries for 22 yards rushing
Individual Honors: Not yet
Pro Prospects: NFL free-agent signee
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