Inside The Huskies

Washington Seems To Want More Safety Depth

Recent offer trends suggest the staff wants to add another safety
Roman Tomashoff|
Washington Seems To Want More Safety Depth
Washington Seems To Want More Safety Depth

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Washington Huskies

Washington currently has six scholarship safeties on its roster. However, two (Vincent Holmes and Diesel Gordon) are freshmen, and a redshirt freshman (Tristan Dunn)  probably will be asked to slide into the Husky role as the team's nickel defender.

Barring injury, the team's starters are set in stone with Asa Turner and Dominique Hampton. Both are expected to be major contributors to the defense, but there are plenty of variables that could pop up over the course of a football season that could change that.

Washington's defense in 2022 is a primary example of what can happen when depth is an issue, especially at the cornerback position. Behind Turner and Hampton, there's a lot of talent, but not a lot of proven consistency at safety.

Makell Esteen and Vince Nunley are the most likely duo to settle in as the second-string safeties, assuming Dunn's Husky duties become full-time. Nunley has just one career game under his belt, while Esteen saw action in eight games in 2022 and recorded two interceptions.

While Holmes and Gordon might find their way into a few games during their first year on campus, neither should be expected to contribute in a major way. That leaves the transfer portal as the top option for the coaching staff to add depth before the 2023 season gets underway.

It appears the top portal option right now is Rhode Island safety Antonio Carter, who looks like he has the talent and football IQ to slot into a depth chart rather quickly. The Huskies recently extended an offer to junior-college safety Ja'ir Smith out of the College of San Mateo in California.

Smith is listed at 6-foot-1 and 183 pounds, and plays cornerback on his film. However, with his size, athleticism and man coverage skills, the coaching staff might want to try him out at the Husky position if it lands him and shift Dunn back into a full-time safety role.

It shouldn't come as a shock if more offers go out to defensive backs in the transfer portal in the coming weeks, too. As the Huskies continue to receive more and more national media praise over the offseason, Kalen DeBoer's coaching staff is clearly trying to upgrade the roster in every way it can.

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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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