UW Spring Preview: Huskies Looking for 2 Lockdown Corners
No one had a better set of cornerbacks across the college football landscape in 2021 than the University of Washington, with Trent McDuffie and Kyler Gordon selected among the top 39 players in April in the NFL draft.
This past season, it seemed like everyone did.
In an otherwise sparkling 11-2 debut season for Kalen DeBoer and his staff, the Huskies couldn't find a pair of corners who could stay healthy for long, learn a difficult job on the fly and most of all prevent long touchdown passes from sailing over their heads.
For all of the good things that happened to the UW, this maybe was the only real obstacle in DeBoer's overly ambitious quest to field a championship program right away.
What's been even more eye-opening has been the program response to this problem, with the Huskies attacking it from every angle in the offseason — through the transfer portal, the junior-college level and in the high school ranks covering three states
The UW has a strong likelihood of putting all new starting cornerbacks in the lineup when the season unfurls against Boise State on Sept. 2 in Husky Stadium, marking it the only position area where a complete turnover could happen.
BACKED INTO A CORNER
With spring football practice getting an extra-early start on March 6, we're taking a hard look at each personnel group going into the 15 workouts stretched out over 47 days that end with a spring game, and the Husky cornerbacks are on the clock here.
Wild guess: The opening-day cornerbacks will be Oklahoma State transfer Jabbar Muhammad and 4-star recruit Curley Reed from Lake Charles College Prep in Louisiana.
Or Muhammad and 4-star recruit Caleb Presley from Seattle's Rainier Beach High.
Or how about Jabbar paired together with Irvin, as in Julius, giving the Huskies a decided pro basketball theme to this pressing college football responsibility?
However it shakes out, this development is certain to draw a lot of attention and become the source of much ongoing debate.
The previous starters, Jordan Perryman and Mishael Powell, have either used up their eligibility or will try something new in the secondary, with Powell possibly headed to the hybrid Husky position, at least according to the Seattle Times.
The 5-foot-10, 180-pound Muhammad has the most credentials of anyone. He's a 13-game starter over 31 games for Oklahoma State and a 2022 All-Big 12 honorable-mention recipient. He brings 15 pass break-ups with him, plus he has become a very rare find in Montlake.
He's a cornerback with a career interception. He picked off one in a 20-14 victory over Iowa State last season.
Returning Husky corners collectively have just two pass thefts from 2022, with Davon Banks getting his on a diving sideline catch against Arizona State and Irvin, newly converted from safety, stepping in front of Michigan State receiver Germie Bernard, now a UW teammate, on the sideline to intercept one himself.
Three FBS interceptions among the UW corners has to be addressed. Last season, no one showed the ability to effectively break on the ball or run step for step with a deep receiver. The Huskies' front four came up with more pass deflections than the cornerbacks, 9 to 5.
Newcomers Muhammad, Reed, Presley, 3-star recruit Leroy Bryant and JC transfer Thaddeus Dixon each will be given plenty of opportunity to win jobs.
If Powell changes positions, Husky holdovers at corner are Irvin, who moved over from safety and drew high marks as a four-game starter before he was lost for the season with an injury; Banks, who started twice before he likewise was injured and ruled out for the season; Elijah Jackson, who was injured early and began the season late before drawing a pair of starts; and Jaivion Green, who appeared in nine games as a freshman.
The hope is that some of these young guys weren't permanently scarred as opposing offenses took advantage of them, with Banks getting beat no fewer than four times for touchdown passes. Even so, the competition at this UW position should be intense.
UW CORNERBACK CANDIDATES
Jabbar Muhammad, 5-10, 180, Jr., played in 30 games at Oklahoma State, started 13, All-Big 12 honorable mention
Julius Irvin, 6-1, 179, Sr., played in 30 games, started 6 (4 at corner)
Mishael Powell, 6-1, 204, Jr., played in 21 games, started 11
Elijah Jackson, 6-1, 184, So., played in 10 games, started 2
Davon Banks, 5-11, 185, So., played in 12 games, started 2
Jaivion Green, 6-2, 202, So., played in 9 games
Curley Reed, 6-1, 180, Fr., ready to debut
Caleb Presley, 6-0, 180, Fr., ready to debut
Leroy Bryant, 6-0, 185, Fr., ready to debut
Thaddeus Dixon, 6-2, 205, Jr., ready to debut
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