Here's Likely Why Deven Bryant Left the Husky LB Corps

Deven Bryant, a University of Washington sophomore linebacker, skipped the LA Bowl and likely is headed to the transfer portal, a move that might be surprising to some considering he was a 10-game starter, the team's third-leading tackler and a loyal foot soldier.

Yet it's not all that hard to see why he decided to leave: For the coming spring football, the 6-foot-11, 230-pound Bryant might not have been any better than the Huskies' fifth-best player in that position group.

Looking over the talent, the best Husky linebacker might be the senior who often showed up for games in sweats with a towel around his neck after choosing to sit out all but four outings and the bowl game to preserve his eligibility and play uninterrupted in 2026.

The linebacker who might become the Huskies' best NFL linebacker prospect soon enough is a 6-foot-3, 225-pound freshman who played just over half a season and came up with an interception, caused an interception and dropped an Interception.

The best linebacker at the LA Bowl was a junior who came off the bench, intercepted a pass, knocked down a pass, came up with a sack and made a fourth-down stop to kill a drive and continues only to get bigger -- he's 6-foot-2 and 242 pounds -- and better.

That leaves the guy nicknamed "Buddah," a junior who was the UW's best linebacker to begin the season until suffering a season-ending knee injury in the third game against his former team, Washington State.

What a fashion show featuring, in order, Jacob Manu, Zaydrius Rainey Sale, Xe'ree Alexander and Taariq "Buddah" Al-Uqdah walking the runway.

"I'm glad that they're all on our team," UW defensive coordiantor Ryan Walters said.

Xe'ree Alexander plays with pure joy while Simote Pepa looks on. | Dave Sizer photo

This group could have a chance to become the finest collection of linebacker talent assembled in Montlake all at once -- or at least since Shaq Thompson, Keishawn Bierria, Travis Feeney, Azeem Victor and John Timu in 2014.

The 5-foot-11, 225-pound Manu stands as the most decorated of these currrent Huskies and is possibly All-America material after leading the Pac-12 in tackles with 116 and being named first-team All-Pac-12 in 2023.

A non-contact knee injury and resulting surgery at Arizona in 2024 is all that got in the way of his ascension to the top of the linebacker food chain nationally.

"He's got one year left and we've got to make sure he uses it wisely," UW coach Jedd Fisch said.

Jacob Manu works the sideline as he sits out against Rutgers. | Dave Sizer photo

Then there's Rainey-Sale, who appears to be everything as advertised -- move over and share, John Mills -- as the Huskies' top freshman player this season at any position once he recovered from offseason clean-up knee surgery left over from his high school days.

"I think Zaydrius is going to be a really, really, really good player," Fisch said after the Illinois game, won by the Huskies 42-25, and Rainey-Sale's top outing so far.

Really.

Zaydrius Rainey-Sale looks menacing at UW linebacker with his big frame. | Dave Sizer photo

The UW linebacker who's come the farthest this season is Alexander, the local kid who transferred in from Central Florida. He put on 20-plus pounds at the suggestion of the coaching staff.

He had 12 tackles against Illinois, 10 against Wisconsin, and was named LA Bowl Defensive Player of the Game for his weekend performance.

"Xe'ree is playing at an extremely high level," Fisch said.

Buddah Al-Uqdah and Alex McLaughlin make an Apple Cup tackle. | Dave Sizer photo

Al-Uqdah has two more seasons to play for the UW after this one blew up on him. When healthy, the 6-foot, 237-pound Southern California product likely is an NFL player waiting to happen, too.

"Buddah, he's a pro," Walters said. "We talk about being a pro in this building all the time. He embodies that."

That's four Husky linebackers with a ton of credentials who will vie for two starting spots a year from now. The competition will be fierce. For everyone else, it should be great fun to watch.

No wonder Deven Bryant moved on and he shouldn't be castigated for it.

He wants to play in 2026.

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