What a Starting Husky Offensive Line Would Look Like Today

The University of Washington offensive line was so full of talent last season, consider that two players will become NFL draftees soon, four others are headed for SEC teams, with Oklahoma deciding it had to have someone who was a Husky back-up, and yet a seventh player is in a portal flyover.

So now what?

It appears the biggest challenge confronting Jedd Fisch's UW coaching takeover will be to scramble and find somebody, anybody, who can block.

As February approaches, here's what a Husky starting offensive line would look like right now if Fisch used only what he's inherited since coming to Montlake.

For sure, it's a little on the young side, light side and unproven side.

The most established offensive lineman for the UW might be someone who hasn't played a down yet in Montlake and has just six college starts to his name, but six more than anyone else on the roster — Drew Azzopardi.

The 6-foot-7, 315-pound sophomore and San Diego State transfer, so lean for a big man with such a large frame, was a heavily pursued player in the transfer portal because of his mobility, conjuring up someone similar to the departed Roger Rosengarten. Pencil him in at left tackle. He comes with a lot of potential to hold his own.

At the opposite Husky tackle would have been 6-foot-5, 281-pound sophomore Jalen Klemm, son of former NFL offensive lineman Adrian Klemm, who coached this position area for the New England Patriots this past season, but but the younger Klemm just entered the transfer portal.

Instead, 6-foot-6, 296-pound junior Samuel Peacock would get the call. While injured to close out last season, he's appeared in 10 games as a reserve tackle, eight outings coming into this past season. The local lineman from Gig Harbor is entering his fifth season in the program.

Center belongs to 6-foot-2, 310-pound sophomore Landen Hatchett, at least when healthy. He's got star quality plastered all over him. He appeared as a reserve in nine UW games until tearing an ACL in practice preparing for the College Football Playoff. While recovering from a knee injury is time-consuming, young Hatchett was in the weight room this week, presumably working on upper-body strength.

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He also has checked in and out of the transfer portal, where his departure would have been devastating to the Huskies, who've lost a significant amount of young talent since coach Kalen DeBoer left for Alabama.

One can only imagine what a UW offensive line built around Hatchett and Parker Brailsford, now at Alabama, would have looked like in the future.

Redshirt freshman Zach Henning would be the first guard up, unless he slides over to center while Hatchett continues his knee rehabilitation. The 6-foot-5, 292-pound Henning, a Colorado native, came in ready to play physically in his first year, ran with the second team throughout the season and drew a pair of game appearances. His progress was considered well ahead of schedule.

"I'm just trying to stay ready," Henning said at the Sugar Bowl. "Whatever spot really, whether it be tackle or guard. ... I feel prepared, I'm confident. I just keep preparing for when the moment comes."

At the other guard spot, junior Gaard Memmelaar would get the first shot at earning a front-line job, at least if he's healthy again. He missed all of last season with a knee injury.

During spring football last year, the 6-foot-4, 299-pound Memmelaar, who grew up on an Idaho farm, wouldn't back down from anyone. He was feisty throughout, getting into multiple April practice squabbles. While he's appeared in just four Husky games in his career, he's entering his fifth season in Montlake.

Other Husky scholarship offensive linemen in the mix are 6-foot-8, 295-pound Soane (pronounced Swanee) Faasolo, 6-foot-5, 327-pound Kahlee Tafai and 6-foot-7, 259-pound Elishah Jackett, who each are redshirt freshmen.

Faasolo, Tafai and Jackett haven't played in any Husky games yet as they add weight and strength, and each of them are crossover players who can play either guard or tackle. Faasolo and Jackett need an additional 20 points or so, while Tafai may slim down 10 pounds. Expect to see them on the field for the first time at some point in the upcoming season.

"The first thing you experience is a sense of humbleness," said Tafai, who was recruited as a tackle but played guard his first season in Montlake.

Incoming freshmen include 6-foot-6, 305-pound Davit Boyajyan from Fresno, California, who's signed to a letter of intent; 6-foot-8, 315-pound Justin Hylkema, an Arizona scholarship flip who committed on Monday night and will sign next week; and possibly 6-foot-4, 265-pound Paki Finau, who signed in December and has since entered the transfer portal.

That's a lot of extremely young O-line talent, with the little-used Memmelaar and Peacock the only juniors in the position group so far, and no seniors.

The Huskies have more work to do here than in any other position area. Expect Brennan Carroll, the new UW offensive coordinator and offensive-line coach, to call for more transfer portal help, especially players with considerable game-day experience on their resumes.

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