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Inside The Huskies

Willis Makes UW Stint Pay Off With 4th-Round Draft Pick

The offensive lineman came West to improve his NFL chances and it happened.
Dan Raley|
Carver Willis is shown on the sideline during the 2025 UW Spring Game.
Carver Willis is shown on the sideline during the 2025 UW Spring Game. | Skylar Lin Visuals

Carver Willis wasn't in Kansas anymore.

A year ago, he arrived in Montlake for University of Washington spring football, as a Kansas State transfer, as an offensive lineman who could really run.

While his Big 12 team certainly capable of placing people in the NFL on a regular basis, the 6-foot-5, 312-pound Willis was drawn to the Huskies to improve his pro football opportunities even more. Big Ten spotlight. Different coaching staff. Be a Pro motto.

Consider it mission accomplished.

On Saturday, Willis went to the San Francisco 49ers with the 27th pick of the fourth round of the NFL Draft, as the 127th selection overall.

Just a month ago, he reiterated what a good move it was for him to come to Montlake and finish up his college football career, if not broaden his football horizons.

"Playing for Washington was the best decision I ever made," the personable Willis said. "I will forever love my time here. It absolutely helped. My time here is something I hold in great regard."

The Durango, Colorado, product spent five seasons at Kansas State, playing in 36 games and starting 18. He was named All-Big 12 honorable mention in 2023. As a right tackle.

Still, he felt compelled to join Jedd Fisch's team. The Huskies made him a left tackle. The NFL might make him a center. A trip to Seattle helped him get out of his comfort zone and consider all of those possibilities.

For the UW, he started 10 games while missing three after injuring a knee against Ohio State. He was rewarded with All-Big Ten honorable-mention honors even with the gap in his play.

Carver Willis gets in a stance against Ohio State before suffering a second-quarter injury.
Carver Willis gets in a stance against Ohio State before suffering a second-quarter injury. | Dave Sizer photo

Besides his physical prowess, Willis endeared himself to the Huskies because he's a natural leader whose have fun but determined approach to the game made him a popular player.

After his Husky Pro Day outing in March, the four remaining UW starting offensive linemen surrounded him in Dempsey Indoor to hear about his latest adventures at the NFL Scouting Combine and elsewhere.

He had them captivated, had them laughing and had them believing in him as a football player.

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Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

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