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New Dawg Report: Anthony James

What are the Huskies getting in the big time Texas defensive lineman?
Roman Tomashoff|
New Dawg Report: Anthony James
New Dawg Report: Anthony James

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Washington Huskies

When Anthony James committed to Washington, it was one of the biggest wins in Husky recruiting history. At the time of his commitment, James was ranked as one of the top 50 players in the country and was arguably the best player to ever commit to the school from the state of Texas.

Listed at 6-foot-5 and 252 pounds, James is a bit of a tweener. While he mainly played defensive end in high school, Washington's coaching staff wants to utilize his versatility. He stated in an interview after his commitment that defensive line coach Inoke Breckterfield plans to use him at both defensive tackle and on the edge.

From day one, James brings an incredibly high football IQ. He's excellent in run support, and his eyes always find the football. He consistently makes the right decision on option plays and knows how to set the edge against the run.

As a pass rusher, all the tools are there for James to eventually develop into a great disruptor, but he still has a long way to go. He wins consistently with power at the high school level, but doesn't know how to use his hands quite yet.

One other thing the coaching staff will need to work on with James is his first step. While he can consistently rely on his intelligence to help him make plays, he needs to continue to add explosiveness to his game. 

As one of the early enrollees for the January quarter, James is already on campus and got a head start on college conditioning and weight lifting. Strength coach Ron McKeefery has done a solid job working with his athletes to achieve specific goals, and James should look more explosive by the time spring camp rolls around.

Expect James to be worked into the rotation at some point this fall, as his time playing high school football in Texas prepared him physically for the college level. While he might not burn his redshirt, the defensive lineman could end up playing between 260 and 265 pounds, and be a vital piece as a run defender for the Huskies in his first year on campus.

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Roman Tomashoff
ROMAN TOMASHOFF

I've followed the Huskies for my entire life, and to be in a position where I get to cover them full-time is nothing short of an honor. After graduating from Lasell University in 2019, I moved to Seattle to pursue my dream of working in sports media. While writing for the Husky Haul, I also covered local sports for the Everett Daily Herald before the COVID-19 pandemic. After being hired by Realdawg.com in February of 2021, I also transitioned into doing a lot of entertainment writing, as I work on a variety of magazines as a contributing writer for Centennial Media, and have also contributed to Emmy Magazine, as well as Walt Disney Television Studios. 

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