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Kirkland Announces His Return, Keeping Huge Husky Line Intact

The University of Washington left tackle considered his NFL options before making his decision.
Dan Raley|
Kirkland Announces His Return, Keeping Huge Husky Line Intact
Kirkland Announces His Return, Keeping Huge Husky Line Intact

Left tackle Jaxson Kirkland announced on Monday he is returning for his senior season, ensuring that all five starters for the University of Washington offensive line — the biggest in school history — will be back.

The 6-foot-7, 305-pound Kirkland, a first-team, All-Pac-12 selection by the conference, took time to consider his NFL options. In early assessments, he was projected as a second- or third-round pick.

"Got some unfinished work with my brothers," he wrote on social media.

Kirkland joined senior center Luke Wattenberg is making their future intentions known. Wattenberg, an All-Pac-12 honorable mention recipient by the conference, is coming back for a sixth year in the program, and potentially a fifth season as a starter.

Of the other UW linemen, junior right guard Henry Bainivalu last week was named second-team All-Pac-12 by Pro Football Focus. Earlier, sophomore right tackle Vic Curne received honorable-mention recognition from the conference.

Sophomore left guard Ulumoo Ale is the only UW linemen who has failed to earn any postseason accolades.

The Husky line averaged 6-foot-6 and 324 pounds per starter.

Kirkland has started all 29 Husky games he's appeared in over three seasons, missing two in 2019 because of injuries. He began his career as a starter at right guard before moving to left tackle for the short pandemic season.

When he was named first-team All-Pac-12 by the conference, Jaxson matched his father, Dean Kirkland, who earned the same honors as a UW offensive guard in 1990.

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Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

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