UW's Top 20 Recruiting Class Filled with Unheralded but Promising Prospects

For the longest time, the University of Washington football program has proved skillful in finding the unsung player who turns into something special. Names such as Will Dissly and Ben Burr-Kirven, both Seahawks now, come to mind.

It's that ability to find that under-recruited and unheralded player, ignored by others, and draw a lot of production out of him.

Sports Illustrated All-American lists the Huskies' 2021 recruiting haul as 17th best nationally in terms of quality. However, notable sleepers infiltrated the UW's list of 15 commits.

Dyson McCutcheon

It might be a stretch to call the son and grandson of former NFL stars a sleeper, but the delay in California high school football puts McCutcheon in this category. The Bishop Amat defensive back is another quick-twitch defensive back from the Los Angeles area. He's been singled out by MaxPreps, which calls him one of the best all-around players in the nation. At 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds, he's a slightly bigger version of Budda Baker and Elijah Molden.

Caleb Berry

Berry's season ended too soon with a broken leg. Yet in two and a half games, Berry showed the potential to be a punishing running back by scoring 9 touchdowns. He recorded 538 rushing yards on 78 rushing attempts. Before the Lufkin, Texas, signee broke the tibia bone in his leg, he averaged 6.9 yards a carry. Berry expects to be fully healed by the time he dons the purple and gold next year.

Siaosi Finau

This guy is the great unknown. The defensive lineman is also the great unheralded. The offer to Finau seemed to come out of the blue to those familiar with recruiting in the Seattle metro area. At 6-3 and 300 pounds, the Renton run-stuffer has tremendous size to go with fellow and the UW's more advertised defensive-line commits Voi Tunuufi (6-2, 270) and Kuao Peihopa (6-3, 305).

Maurice Heims

A German national, Heims hasn't played football very long, which means there is limited film on him. What the Santa Margarita Catholic defensive end has going for him on the California high school level is not just ample size at 6-6 and 245 pounds, but he brings rare speed for a big man with a 4.6 40-yard dash.

Robert Wyrsch

Wyrsch put on weight during the pandemic, recommended for this offensive tackle because he added an inch of height. He also subscribes to a relentless workout regime. Now 6-7 and 285 pounds, the SI All-American candidate is a late-bloomer to the gridiron after having played just one full season. SI All-American scouting director John Garcia said Wyrsch's initial burst is "second to none in California" at his position.

Caden Jumper

Jumper resembles a Swiss Army Knife. Offensively and defensively, he does whatever is needed. He's played QB, RB, WR, OL, TE, DL and LB. For that reason, he has limited film to share on him as a tight end, his likely college position. What sticks out about this prospect is his physicality. "He doesn't block, he punishes," said Trevor Mueller, Husky Maven recruiting analyst. "Even with the ball in his hands, he punishes tacklers. Late in games, tacklers weren't so keen on taking him on."