State Of Husky Receiving Corps Is Complicated

Raiden Vines-Bright caught a swing pass to the right from quarterback Demond Williams Jr. on a third-and-19 play, ran about a dozen steps, gained 10 yards and was violently knocked off his feet by Purdue safety Myles Slusher.

Everything came to an abrupt stop in Husky Stadium -- the game, the drive, the cheering.

On late Saturday afternoon, the University of Washington freshman wide receiver didn't move at the Boilermakers 17 with 10:24 left on clock in the second quarter of this Big Ten game as he lay on his back on the artificial surface, still clutching the football.

Nine medical and training staffers crowded around Vines-Bright as a stretcher was brought out. His coaches and teammates crowded around them. A red Medic One emergency vehicle drove onto the field and went straight to the downed player.

People high above in the press box were convinced he had been knocked unconscious. Fans couldn't have been faulted had they envisioned the worst-case scenario -- that he had lost feeling in his extremities.

"Everything has checked out," UW coach Jedd Fisch said later. "He's fully mobile at this point in time."

Raiden Vines-Bright is left injured on the ground after taking a hit in the second quarter. | Dave Sizer photo

Looking at replays later, the 6-foot-1, 200-pound Vines-Bright was shown running upfield, looking straight ahead, when Slusher blindsided him with a legal but lethal hit -- striking him with his helmet and spinning him around.

The 6-foot, 190-pound senior defensive back, a journeyman who previously had played for Colorado and Arkansas, felt so superior with his hit that his celebratory actions brought him a taunting penalty over the fallen Vines-Bright, giving the Huskies a first down on the Purdue 9.

Vines-Bright is the third of the Huskies' three original starting wide receivers to get hurt in the heat of the battle.

Sophomore Rashid Williams fractured his collarbone after catching a 27-yard pass on the first play against UC Davis in the second game of the season. Williams was set to return two weeks ago, but broke a finger in practice.

Leading receiver Denzel Boston, who has 52 catches for 732 yards and 8 TDs, 9 overall, suffered an ankle sprain so severe against Wisconsin in the previous game, he couldn't cut in practice and was ruled out against Purdue.

A round of applause breaks out in Husky Stadium in support of Raiden Vines-Bright who is carted off due to injury 🙏 pic.twitter.com/2cVYs1lDhL
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 16, 2025

Fisch doesn't share injury outcomes until his regular Monday press briefing because players typically go through medical testing on Sunday. He may provide the official Vines-Bright medical diagnosis at that time.

If Vines-Bright, who has 22 catches for 226 yards, is lost for any significant amount of time, combined with Boston needing time to recover, the Huskies will be hard-pressed to put three experienced starting receivers on the field next Saturday against UCLA.

Injured against Purdue, Raiden Vines-Bright is loaded into the Medic One emergency vehicle. | Dave Sizer photo

Freshman Dezmen Roebuck, who caught a 2-yard TD pass against Purdue, giving him season totals of 32 catches for 431 yards and 5 scores, could be the only well-utilized pass-catcher available against the Bruins.

Penn State transfer Omari Evans made his first UW start against the Boilermakers and caught 3 passes for 60 yards, giving him 8 receptions for 188 yards and a score on the season, and likely will need to step up again.

If Boston can't go, the Huskies will need to find a third starting receiver from among sophomore Audric Harris, junior Kevin Green Jr. and freshman Chris Lawson.

Harris, who caught a 61-yard TD pass against Purdue, has been trying to redshirt to preserve another season ov eligibility, by sitting out six of the previous 10 games. He's reached his maximum four outings. He might have to play against UCLA, making all of that moot.

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