Stocking Up on Bryants, Huskies Receive Commitment from Another One
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When things unexpectedly turn complicated, the University of Washington football team has a go-to move — the Huskies bring in a player named Bryant to make things whole again.
On Friday, with the Pac-12 still reeling from conference realignment confusion, Kalen DeBoer's recruiters received a commitment from cornerback Leroy Bryant of Rodriguez High School in Fairfield, California.
This 6-foot, 175-pound Bryant represents the 16th player to pledge his services to the Huskies for 2023, the 10th from California and the second new commit whose surname is Bryant, joining Deven, a linebacker from St. John Bosco High in the Los Angeles area, and no relation.
They'll join the roster next year, or four seasons after the Huskies once relied on NFL-bound tight end Hunter Bryant and safety Myles Bryant, who were first- and second-team All-Pac-12 selections, to get things done.
Of course, all of these guys have followed in the incredibly fast footsteps of the Huskies' original Bryant, Beno, the electric running back and punt returner from the 1991 national championship team.
If he were alive today, the legendary Paul "Bear" Bryant no doubt would enjoy coaching every last one of them.
This latest Bryant and Diesel Gordon from Seguin High School in Arlington, Texas, both 3-star players, apparently will fill the UW's cornerback quota this recruiting cycle.
Their commitments would seem to indicate that Washington state's two 4-star corners, Spanaway Lake's Jasiah Wagoner and Rainier Beach's Caleb Presley, both are headed elsewhere. Wagoner recently listed his final options and the UW wasn't among them, while Presley still counts the Huskies among his final choices but likely goes elsewhere, too.
Leroy Bryant is shown with Juice Brown and Chuck Morrell, UW secondary coaches.
UW
The UW was the 14th school to offer Leroy Bryant a scholarship, joining Colorado, Colorado State, Fresno State, Oregon State, Utah, Utah State and Washington State among others.
Bryant comes off a junior season in which he handled himself well, intercepting a pair of passes, forcing a pair of fumbles and breaking up 4 passes for a 7-4 Mustangs team.
As a Rodriquez sophomore, he put his speed on full display with an 85-yard kickoff return for a score.
The Huskies initially offered Bryant following his unofficial trip in April and they had him in again for an official visit last weekend. One tour was conducted during rainy weather, the other in glorious sunshine.
Of the UW's 16 overall commits, 10 are Californians in linebackers Deven Bryant and Jordan Whitney, running back Tybo Rogers, wide receivers Rashid Williams and Keith Reynolds, safety Vincent Holmes, defensive tackle Sua Lefotu, offensive tackles Elishah Jackett and Soane Faasolo; and Bryant; a pair of Texans in edge rusher Anthony James II and cornerback Diesel Gordon; tackle Zach Henning from Colorado; edge rusher Jacob Lane and Landon Hatchett from Washington state; and quarterback Lincoln Kienholz from South Dakota.
Should Leroy Bryant need somewhere to go to get his bearings once in Seattle, he can always head up the street, go fewer than two miles away, and talk to the kids ... at Bryant Elementary School.
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