Jett Washington, Kobe Bryant's nephew and 5-star recruit, cuts down list

Andrew Nemec | Feb 27, 2025

Bishop Gorman's Jett Washington, a 2026 prospect, already has 30 scholarship offers. / Photo by Lance Smith, SBLive

Bishop Gorman (Nevada) safety Jett Washington has some serious genetic gifts.

His mother is the older sister of NBA legend Kobe Bryant.

But while some athletes would feel the overwhelming weight of that fact and the expectations that come with it, Washington has flourished.

“He always made me feel special when I was with him,” Washington told The New York Times/The Athletic. “Sometimes I feel a little bit of pressure (being his nephew), but my parents make sure I don’t feel it too much. They tell me to just go out there and have fun, don’t try to overthink and just play. My uncle was a great player. At the same time, I know he wanted me to make my own name. He laid the foundation for me. I’m just grateful.”

The 6-foot-5, 200-pound athlete is a five-star safety recruit. In fact, he's considered the top safety in the country.

So when Washington makes a decision regarding his college future, it's big news.

This week, the Las Vegas star trimmed his list to 11 - Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Texas, Texas A&M, UNLV and USC:

NEWS: Elite 2026 Safety Jett Washington is down to 1️⃣1️⃣ Schools, he tells me for @on3recruits

The 6’4 205 S from Las Vegas, NV is ranked as the No. 1 Safety in the ‘26 Class (On3 Industry)

Where Should He Go?👇🏽 https://t.co/k42A6LqhBJ pic.twitter.com/WgJtJLQguB

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) February 27, 2025

Washington has yet to set official visits, but it's likely 11 programs will be watching that calendar very closely.

As a junior, the Bishop Gorman star helped lead his team to a Nevada state title, registering a team-high five interceptions to go along with 38 tackles as a junior.

Here's what 247Sports had to say about Washington as a prospect:

"Washington is a high major prospect in football and basketball. He’s the nephew of NBA legend Kobe Bryant (mom is Bryant’s sister) and helped lead the Gaels to a state title on the hardwood. He brings a lot of versatility to the grid-iron as well. The big question with Washington is what position will he play in college. He’s a legit 6-5, 200 pounds and could end up at receiver, safety, linebacker or even grow in to an edge rusher. He played primarily safety as a sophomore and can play in the box, loves to hit and has a nice physical edge in his game. We’ve seen him work out at receiver and he looks natural running routes, has strong hands and can make plays down the field. With his frame and growth potential, it’s not hard to envision him eventually moving to linebacker but regardless where he lines up, he’s a tremendous prospect and has a very high ceiling."