Washington Earns Commitment From Top 2025 In-State Prospect
HOUSTON — As the Washington Huskies prepare to take on Michigan on Monday night in the CFP national championship, coach Kalen DeBoer's staff received a notable win off the field with the commitment of 4-star linebacker Zaydrius Rainey-Sale.
A product of Bethel High School in Spanaway, Washington, Rainey-Sale is ranked by 247 Sports as the 72nd overall player in the 2025 class and the top player in the state. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound linebacker chose the Huskies over 10 other scholarship offers that included Florida State, Oregon, Miami and Penn State.
After not taking any in-state prospects in the class of 2024, the Huskies in convincing the top player from Washington to stay home so early in the recruiting process can be considered a big win.
On film, it's easy to see why Rainey-Sale was at the top of recruiting general manager Courtney Morgan's priority list.
Rainey-Sale has top-tier athleticism, elite closing speed and physicality at inside linebacker. While Bethel likes to utilize him as a delayed pass rusher off the edge, his skill set would fit seamlessly in the middle of co-defensive coordinator William Inge's front seven.
He rarely lets ball carriers escape his grasp and could end up receiving playing time early in his Husky career.
After taking just one linebacker in the 2024 class, the coaching staff could be looking to acquire the services of two or three players for the position in 2025. One of its other top targets is 4-star Mason Posa from La Cueva High School in New Mexico.
Earning a commitment from Rainey-Sale sets a great pace for DeBoer's staff as it attempts to close on other top-tier prospects in the 2025 class in Washington state and around the country.
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