Where the Huskies Stand in Transfer Portal Pick-Ups

It hardly seems like a fair trade, based on the numbers alone, with the University of Washington football team so far adding just 14 new players from the transfer portal while having 27 pack up and move on.

The difference is measured in starters -- Jedd Fisch's staff has picked up nine players who were first-teamers on a full-time basis this past season, compared to having just three regulars exit Montlake.

Consequently, the recruiting service On3 has positioned the Huskies in a lofty fourth place in its latest Big Ten transfer portal rankings, trailing only Michigan, Rutgers and Oregon.

At a much slower pace, Fisch continues to emulate Indiana's Curt Cignetti's portal recruitment of familiarity by enticing his former players to join him from Arizona, this time adding second-team All-Big 12 cornerback Tacario Davis, former All-Pac-12 linebacker Jacob Manu and 12-game starting edge rusher Ta'ita'i Uiagalelei previously of the Wildcats.

Imagine if that trio had come to Montlake this past season and joined the six veteran Wildcats who followed their coach right from the start?

Updated Transfer Portal Team Rankings for the Big Ten‼️https://t.co/wukrsSJTCT pic.twitter.com/Uhq8dOzPHx
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal_) January 13, 2025

The Huskies, of course, are far from done in remaking their roster for a second year of Fisch and Company. Another transfer portal window opens during spring football in which players will come and go once they see where they stand on the depth chart, with the current staff having a much better idea of what its needs are entering the 2025 season.

At this point, we're still not entirely convinced the UW has solved all of its manpower needs on each line. While Kansas State offensive tackle Carver Willis appears to be a ready-made player who could start wherever he wants for the Huskies, and the Hatchett brothers still carry considerable potential up front as physical players, Fisch's line might still be down at least one veteran starter to make it really effective.

On the other side of the ball, the Huskies have welcomed 6-foot-3, 340-pound Simote Pepa from Utah and 6-foot-3, 293-pound Anterio Thompson formerly of Western Michigan and Iowa to restock the defense line, but it's unclear if they're an upgrade over the graduating Sebastian Valdez and Jacob Bandes.

Fisch's defensive line wasn't able to jam up the inside effectively against the Big Ten's better teams and didn't put any pressure at all on Harrison Bailey, Louisville's emergency fill-in and little-used quarterback in the Sun Bowl. Again, most defenses in the postseason would have made the Cardinals pay dearly for relying on Bailey, hardly a mobile signal-caller.

As the Huskies go through their winter mat drills and try to take full advantage of their new $2 million weight room, expect the coaches to add at least another lineman on each side before they're done in the portal.

INCOMING UW PORTAL PLAYERS	Previous School
Xe'Ree Alexander, LB	UCF
Taariq Al-Uqdah, LB	Washington State
CJ Christian, S	Florida International
Johntay Cook, WR	Texas
Tacario Davis, CB	Arizona
Kade Eldridge, TE	USC
Geirean Hatchett, OL	Oklahoma
Ryan Kean, LS	Utah Tech
Jacob Manu, LB	Arizona
Alex McLaughlin, S	Northern Arizona
Simote Peta, DL	Utah
Anterio Thompson, DL	Western Michigan
Ta'ita'i Uigalelei, ER	Arizona
Carver Willis, OT	Kansas State

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