With UW's Rainey-Sale, It's Watching Greatness Unfold

Five games into his University of Washington career, freshman linebacker Zaydrius Rainey-Sale has shown himself to have amazing football gifts.

On a Husky team typically low on turnovers in recent seasons, he's come up with an interception, created another for a teammate to pilfer and dropped one.

He's shifted the conversation some from offensive tackle John Mills as to who might be the Huskies' most impactful first-year player.

The only box he hasn't checked so far is starter, but that might not be too far off.

The freshman is extremely mature and patient about this.

"If they need me there, I'm going to start, so yeah," Rainey-Sale said while holding a game ball following the Purdue game. "I've got to keep working, got to keep proving myself every week in practice and keep preparing well, and it will unfold itself."

Zaydrius Rainey-Sale (23) prefers white shoes while his teammates tend to go with something more colorful. | Dave Sizer photo

He has an easy manner about him, yet also certain amount of swagger. He wears white shoes while most of his teammates on defense prefer something purple or black.

The obvious question for others to ask about this young linebacker: how good can he be?

The answer comes with no hesitation.

"I think he has the chance to be elite," UW coach Jedd Fisch said flatly.

Zaydrius Rainey-Sale waits for the next play to unfold against Purdue. | Dave Sizer photo

Making his case, the Husky leader proceeded to break down all of Rainey-Sale's physical attributes, point by point.

The 6-foot-3, 225-pound freshman is an ideal fit for the Big Ten on many counts.

"He's got all the size that you would ever want for a linebacker in this conference," Fisch said. "He has the athleticism that you want for a linebacker in this conference. He got off the ground on that pick -- that was an impressive catch. He's got good hands. He's from Washington."

Rainey-Sale missed the first five UW games because he was in recovery from surgery to repair a high school knee injury.

It was Fisch who made others ponder where his prized defender might be had he begun his Husky career on time.

"I don't know what it would have looked like if he wasn't coming off an injury," the coach said. "He obviously would have played a lot earlier in the year. He's has all the skills. He can run and hit. He's got great confidence."

Linebackers Zaydrius Rainey-Sale (23) and Deven Bryant (17) bring down a Purdue quarterback. | Davd Sizer photo

Rainey-Sale has two more regular-season games and a bowl outing to amaze everyone with his rapid advancement, including UCLA, which was one of his three finalists, with Florida State the other odd man out.

He won't short himself on game snaps either for not knowing what to do.

"He's smart so he's willing to pick up all of the different schemes that we're asking him to do," Fisch said. "We don't have to have one specific package per se."

All of which points to more game time, more heroics and quite possibly that starting job destined for him coming real soon.

It's what elite players do.

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