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Two Huskies Invited to 2023 NFL Combine

Two former UW offensive linemen have been asked to participate in what's considered the Underwear Olympics.
Roman Tomashoff|
Two Huskies Invited to 2023 NFL Combine
Two Huskies Invited to 2023 NFL Combine

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Washington Huskies

Jaxson Kirkland has had a tumultuous two years. Heading into the 2021 season, he was widely considered one of the best tackle prospects for the 2022 NFL Draft before a Washington football season hampered by an injury, poor play and well ... John Donovan.

After removing his name from the draft and receiving a waiver from the NCAA to return to school, Kirkland kicked back inside to guard for his final season. While it was a long road to get to the combine, Kirkland officially received his invite, along with right guard Henry Bainivalu.

Bainivalu, the former four-star prospect, is deserving of an invite and could end up being a day-three pick if he tests well. He earned All Pac-12 second-team honors during his final season at Washington, and started every game for the team over his final three years in purple and gold.

Both players also were invited to the Shrine Bowl and were coached by Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots coaching staff. Kirkland seemed to have one of the better weeks for trench players, and, depending on what he's viewed as at the next level, could end up being picked at the end of the third round.

Bainivalu will almost certainly be viewed as a guard at the next level, but with Kirkland there are some questions that should be answered at the combine. He looked good at tackle before his ankle injury in 2021 and he was very good at guard in 2022, making his fit at the next level a question mark.

One AFC team said they're scouting him as a tackle, but with his success at guard, and background at that position after being named a Freshman All-American in 2019, some teams might want to move him inside. His frame might make him strictly a tackle for some scouts, but in the right scheme, he could fit at either position and could act as a swing tackle.

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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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