Washington's Receiver Depth Is Second to None
It's no secret that Washington has two of the best receivers in college football returning in Rome Odunze and Jalen McMillan. The duo became the first tandem in school history to break the 1,000 receiving yard mark in the same season. But the question begs, what kind of depth is behind them?
Ja'Lynn Polk went for over 700 yards on just 43 catches in 2022, and proved to be one of the best slot receivers in the country, but that didn't stop the Huskies from bringing in reinforcements. The coaching staff went out and secured former Washington signee Germie Bernard, who returned to Montlake after just one season at Michigan State.
Since his return to campus, players and coaches alike have raved about the former four-star recruit from Liberty High School in Nevada. He looks like he's easily going to slide in on the two-deep depth chart, and could potentially even force his way into the starting lineup.
"He's a guy that studies the game a lot," quarterback Michael Penix Jr. said. "He came in and wanted to be great, and I saw that from him. He always wanted to do extra throwing stuff with me, and I've been trying to get out here a lot with him trying to get that connection. He's also a guy that studies a lot of film as well, and he's always watching to try and find ways to make himself better, not just for himself but for this team as well."
But Bernard isn't the only emerging star in the room. Redshirt freshman Denzel Boston has all the makings of a future number-one wide receiver. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 185 pounds, he played in four games during his true freshman season to preserve his eligibility, but that also shows that the coaching staff is very high on the in-state product from Emerald Ridge High School.
"Denzel's been really impressive," UW coach Kalen DeBoer said. "He's made some big plays down the field and has that ability to go up and high point a ball. You love the size that he brings, he's out there competing, and really flawless as far as not making mistakes and really executing. He's falling in line with the quarterbacks and has been in great sync with them."
Along with Taj Davis, Giles Jackson, and an exciting group of recruits who will be showing up over the summer, Washington's receiver group is stacked. No matter who's taking snaps after Penix leaves for the NFL is going to have a plethora of talent to throw to.
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