Longhorns Don't Know Parker Brailsford, But They'll Meet Him
NEW ORLEANS — Parker Brailsford is the last guy you would expect to find wandering through the French Quarter this week, where people party to the excess and rules simply don't apply.
He's the University of Washington's highly disciplined, overly successful and highly decorated redshirt freshman center, someone who doesn't stray at all from the football mission at hand.
Twelve months ago, Brailsford suited up as a first-year player for the Alamo Bowl against Texas, but he never left the sideline during the Huskies' 27-20 victory in San Antonio. In fact, he didn't play at all in 2022 as an offensive lineman wearing training wheels, waiting for older guys to graduate.
Now in his second trip to the postseason, Brailsford will turn up in the middle of the action, deemed as important as anyone in the trenches, when the Longhorns (12-1) and the UW (13-0) meet in Monday's Sugar Bowl and College Football Playoff semifinals at the Superdome.
Coming off his redshirt, Brailsford needed just 13 games to establish himself as an honors candidate, named as a second-team All-Pac-12 selection after becoming an immediate starter, first at right guard and then at center, and making everyone forget he was ever an inactive part of the roster.
"Last year about this time, he had just won the Scout Team Player of the Year Award," Brailsford said. "You certainly could see some traits. It was 'OK, this guy, he could be pretty special.' He just continued to get better and better and better. We felt really good about him."
What's even more amazing about the 6-foot-2, 275-pound Brailsford is he often finds himself going up against opponents 40-50 pounds heavier than him. Or, in the case of Texas' Outland Trophy-winning and All-America defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat, he'll be 90 pounds in arrears. Yet he can lift 100 pounds greater than his body weight.
"He's fundamentally really good," Huff said. "He does a really good job bending his knees. He does a good job with his hand placement. He's strong, he's stronger than you would think."
Across the Husky offensive line, only left tackle Troy Fautanu has received more recognition than the youngster, earning first-team All-Pac-12 recognition and the rapt attention of NFL scouts.
Brailsford often graded out higher than all of his fellow UW blockers in games and proved so flexible in what he can do that he started two games at offensive guard and then made a seamless transition to the No. 1 center once senior Matteo Mele went down with a season-ending injury in the second game.
"I feel like I've always had potential," Brailsford said. "I feel I took a few extra steps to make myself get there and actually take a spot."
While many of the players in the Sugar Bowl are returning players for both teams, Brailsford will be the notable exception. Texas will have to figure him out first. They won't find him on any game video from San Antonio unless the footage pans the Husky sideline, where he held court 12 months ago, taking it all in.
Now he's in a much bigger game, an active participant, if not a secret weapon. Huff cautioned against anyone, let alone the Longhorns, underestimating this fast-rising player in any manner.
"You might get him on one play," the coach said of Brailsford, "but you'll have a hard time getting him consistently."
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