Rivalry weekends do double duty in recruiting. The crowd is louder, the pageantry is easier to sell, and prospects who have only seen Husky Stadium on a phone screen get to experience the gameday version with over 70,000 people in it.
Washington opens the Jedd Fisch era’s third season against Washington State on September 6, and the recruiting board for this Sunday’s Apple Cup is one of the deepest the staff will host all fall. At least 18 prospects are expected on Montlake across three classes — three 2027 commits, eleven 2028 targets, and a trio of 2029 names who are already drawing attention in the state.
Star ratings via Rivals Industry Ranking.
The headliners
2028 5-star EDGE Jalanie George (Desert Edge – Ariz.) is the biggest name on the list. George is a national-level pass rusher out of the same Desert Edge program that produced 2027 UW commit Zerek Sidney, and that pipeline matters. Washington’s coaching staff has spent the last two cycles maintaining its connection to the state of Arizona that the staff built when Fisch was at the University of Arizona.
George has UW in his Top 6, along with Auburn, Ohio State, Miami, Oklahoma, and Florida. Getting a prospect of George’s caliber into a rivalry environment this early in his junior year is a good early sign for Washington’s chances at landing this coveted 5-star prospect.
Locking down top local talent remains a top priority for Washington’s coaching staff. 2028 4-star QB AJ Tuivaiave (Graham-Kapowsin – Wash.) is the in-state name to watch. Fisch’s staff has made no secret of wanting him to stay in the Northwest. Tuivaiave is the state’s headline quarterback in 2028, and Washington’s has him as a top local target.
Two key prospects come from the Eastside. 2028 4-star DL Aedyn Havili and 2028 4-star TE Tytan McNeal (Eastside Catholic – Wash.) make the short trip to Montlake. Both of them have already been on campus a handful of times. Eastside Catholic is a local football powerhouse, and like Tuivaiave, the staff is focused on keeping these two prospects home.
2028 4-star TE Presley DeLance (Lake Oswego – Ore.) has told me Washington is among the schools recruiting him hardest and that the Husky offer stands out on his board — but he lives in Oregon, and the Ducks are the in-state program. This is a good chance for Washington to make its case in person.
The 2027 commits coming back
At least three current commits from the 2027 class will return to Husky Stadium this weekend: 4-star IOL Gecova Doyal (Puyallup – Wash.), 4-star RB Jeremy Adeyanju (Sandra Day O’Connor – Ariz.), and 3-star IOL Reis Russell (Valor Christian – Colo.).
Other visitors of note
The rest of the 2028 group covers a wide map.
4-star QB Hunter Fujikawa (Mililani – Hawaii) gives Washington a second signal-caller in the building, and the Huskies have consistently mined the islands under this staff. 4-star DL Isaac Kalubi Lukuni (Rabun Gap-Nacoochee) is a 6-3, 280 defensive lineman traveling all the way from Gerogia.
3-star IOL Ofa Taufalele (Bellarmine Prep – Wash.) continues the staff’s emphasis on developing in-state offensive line talent.
3-star WR Quincey Clay (Capital – Idaho) is a name I’ve been tracking since Washington offered in late July. Clay is the top-rated recruit in Idaho.
Also expected: 3-star LB Julian Bruno (Grant Union – Calif.), 3-star DL Tory Clark (Woodward Academy – Ga.)**, and 3-star WR Avery Thompson (Paducah Tilghman – Ky.).
Looking ahead to 2029
Three sophomores round out the board, and all three are local: 4-star DL Kamari Wilson (Mount Tacoma – Wash.), DL Kitiona Tupua (Puyallup – Wash.), and WR Kaydon Tatum (O’Dea – Wash.).
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With high-caliber talent coming in from coast to coast, this weekend carries significant weight for the future of Washington's recruiting classes. I’ll have follow-ups from the visitors after the game.