UW Offers Young California Linebacker Near Rose Bowl

Noah Karim Mikhail plays football in the shadows of Southern California's picturesque San Gabriel Mountains, which is the dream of every well-intentioned Pac-12 player.

Only Mikhail does this now on a regular basis for the Bonita High School Bearcats in LaVerne, which is located 25 miles east of the Rose Bowl and in the foothills of the aforementioned mountain range.

And this 6-foot-3, 205-pound linebacker will gaze up at these hills a lot more until it's time for him to play college football.

Mikhail is just a high school freshman, from the Class of 2025.

On Friday, University of Washington recruiters put an investment in the future by offering him a football scholarship. They like his size, speed and strength for such a young player starting out.

And Mikhail, who is Egyptian-American, is just now beginning to be recruited after also receiving offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Boston College, Houston Baptist, Nevada and UNLV.

Houston Baptist?

His older brother, Kalim, has committed there as a linebacker.

They're the sons of Karim Mikhail, who immigrated with his family from Egypt 30 years ago. Their father played as a 6-foot-4, 280-pound starting offensive lineman for Azusa Pacific's 1998 NAIA national championship team.

Noah Karim Mikhail, who's also a wide receiver, comes from a high school that has a rich football history besides that mountain backdrop.

His home games are held at Glen Davis Stadium, named for the former Bonita High running back and war hero who became the 1946 Heisman Trophy winner for Army. Davis, later a Pro Bowl selection for the Los Angeles Rams, died in 2005 at age 80.

For now, this youngest Mikhail will try to improve on an overly impressive ninth-grade season that ended with him being named first-team All-Mountain West on defense for an 8-2 Bonita team.

He should have a lot of scholarship offers coming his way before he's done.

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