Moose Has His Fans, But Needs Husky Playing Time

The "Moose" clearly has that memorable nickname and a growing Montlake fan base, as indicated by the surge of selfie requests presented to him by youngsters following the University of Washington spring football game.

All the heavily bearded Justin Hylkema needs to do is stay the course with his requisite player development and make everything pay off down the line with a prominent role on the Husky offensive line.

For now, the 6-foot-7, 326-pound sophomore offensive tackle from Santa Clara, California, is a curiosity as he works his way through the UW depth chart.

Justin Hylkema comes out of a stance in the Spring Game. | Dave Sizer photo

This is one in a series of articles -- going from 0 to 99 on the UW roster -- examining what each scholarship player and leading walk-on did in spring practice and what to expect from them going into fall camp.

Hylkema spent much of April as the No. 2 right offensive tackle, playing behind 6-foot-7, 322-pound senior Drew Azzopardi.

He's slightly heavier than Azzopardi and might be a tad taller, all of which makes him an interesting physical specimen for the Huskies.

Which is why he's in demand for a photo op with those kids hanging over the Husky Stadium railing all wide-eyed as he gladly catered to their cell phone needs.

Justin Hylkema (70) and Drew Azzopardi shake hands on the field. | Dave Sizer photo

Hylkema is in his third year and slightly older than 6-foot-6, 335-pound offensive guard John Mills from San Francisco and 6-foot-5, 344-pound offensive guard Champ Taulealea from Milpitas, all of whom make for a fairly meaty Bay Area contingent at the UW.

While Mills started 11 games and made a couple of Freshman All-America teams, and Taulealea appeared in five games as a reserve, the Moose has needed a little more time to build the proper strength, get his footwork down and catch up to them.

Once that happens, this prospective front wall of matching California Redwoods could be as sturdy and imposing looking as the Golden Gate Bridge.

Put all of them together ready to play and that would provide a most memorable photograph for those enterprising young Husky fans.

Justin Hylkema (70) blocks an onrushing Devin Hyde. | Dave Sizer photo

What he's done: While the Moose is learning his position and building up his body, he has played in just one Husky game, making an LA Bowl appearance against Boise State. Previously, he was named 2023 Offensive Lineman of the Year in the Peninsula Athletic League Bay Division.

Starter or not: With someone his size, it's imperative for Fisch's staff to stay on Hylkema and get him ready to play. Yet the window of advancement does not stay open long. He will need to show he can play some minutes this year or risk getting passed by the huge, young guys the Huskies continue to bring in.

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