Try This Future Husky Offensive Line On for Size

We pick out five guys who we think could be starters for the 2027 UW season opener against Fresno State.

Champ Taulealea comes out of a stance during Husky spring ball. / Skylar Lin Visuals

After getting beat 35-6 at Penn State last November, a somber Jedd Fisch cut to the chase while seated in his postgame news conference -- his University of Washington football team simply wasn't physical enough up front to compete with the Big Ten big boys.

It was never more clear than that night in State College, Pennsylvania, in which the Huskies went without a touchdown for the first time in 13 seasons and 144 games. Something had to be done and soon.

"When we look at our game and how we play, we see that there's some size differential between us and the top call it six or seven programs that have been recruiting in the Big Ten for years and years," Fisch said. once back home. "We need to use resources to make sure we get big. How quickly we can get big will be the test."

Well, it's happened fairly fast, at least in terms of potential, with a Thursday commitment from 6-foot-5, 310-pound Kodi Greene, a 5-star player from Mater Dei High School in Southern California and originally the Seattle area.

That took things up another notch following the spring arrival of three freshmen who, according to their older and smaller UW teammates, reported to Montlake in the 350-360 range.

Dare to dream, the Huskies soon could field an offensive line as big or bigger than anyone else across the Big Ten.

Consider the UW, once current and much leaner starters Landen Hatchett and Drew Azzopardi finish up their careers over the next two seasons, could turn to the 2027 opener against Fresno State in Husky Stadium with the following behemoths dropping down in a stance all at once.

LT, John Mills -- He's already 6-foot-6 and a possible 330 to 340 pounds while threatening to open at one of the guard spots for this coming season as a true freshman. This San Francisco product plays with plenty of attitude, vital for making the most of that size of his. He is so advanced so early he quite possibly could become a most memorable UW offensive linemen before he's done.

LG, Paki Finau -- He was the prize lineman of the Huskies' 2024 class and he's added 40 pounds since arriving in the winter of last year. At 6-foot-5 and 310 pounds, the redshirt freshman from Southern California still looks like he could put on another 15-20 pounds. Oh yeah, he turned 19 on Thursday.

C, Jack Shaffer -- After flipping him from Iowa State, this Bismarck, North Dakota, product currently lists out at 6-foot-6 and 325 pounds, but the freshman realistically could be another 20 pounds heavier. He's a thick human being. The Huskies will find a spot for him.

RG, Champ Taulealea -- This player named Champ from the San Jose, California, area, was the first of the freshmen to run with the No. 1 Husky offense this spring. He shows up on the roster at 6-foot-5 and 330 pounds, where that weight might be a light number for him. According to Fisch, Taulealea could play a lot right away if not start as a freshman, same as Mills.

RT, Kodi Greene -- Greene lists himself at 6-foot-6 and 310 pounds after backing out of his Oregon commitment this week and turning his attention to the hometown Huskies. He might come in and play right away as a freshman in 2026. He stands to get a lot bigger than where he's at, maybe becoming 20 or 30 pounds heavier once he's introduced to the UW weight room.

After randomly picking out these five guys largely based on their potential girth, which could be tremendous poundage, the Huskies in 2027 still will have 6-foot-8, 325-pound Soane Faasolo as a senior and 6-foot-8, 325-pound Justin "Moose" Hylkema as a junior available to make the line a lot taller besides heavier.

Add to them Zach Henning, Davit Boyajyan and Jake Flores, all currently hovering around the 300-pound level. Then there's 6-foot-7, 275-pound Elishah Jackett, a sophomore with a long frame yet unable to bulk up so far. He'll need to fill out quite a bit if he wants to get on the field on game day for the Huskies alongside these guys.

"We're going to sign as many big linemen as we can," Fisch said. "If you want to win the Big Ten Conf,erence, you've got to win it with size."

Would the last Husky offensive lineman leaving the team kitchen please rinse off your dishes and turn out the lights?

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

Greene Turns Purple, Flips to UW from Oregon

John Mills Runs with No. 1 Husky Offensive Line

Landen Hatchett Likes What He Sees in Husky O-Line