Isala Aisa Wily-Ava Picks Washington: Huskies Land St. John Bosco Safety Over Arizona State

3-star St. John Bosco safety picks Jedd Fisch and the Huskies over Arizona State, further strengthening UW's 2027 recruiting class

Jedd Fisch and his staff have landed one of the most coveted defensive backs on the West Coast.

Isala Aisa Wily-Ava, a 3-star safety out of Bellflower, California’s St. John Bosco, announced his commitment to the Washington Huskies this weekend, choosing Washington over Arizona State in what became a true two-team race down the stretch. He becomes one of the headliners of Washington’s growing 2027 class — and a statement pickup against a Big 12 program that pushed hard until the end.

At 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, Wily-Ava is the kind of safety prospect modern defenses are built around. As a junior, he finished the season with 50 tackles, four tackles for loss, and one interception. Rivals Industry Ranking has him as a Top-40 2027 recruit in California and as a Top-40-ranked safety, nationally.

Huskies safeties coach Taylor Mays has been central to Wily-Ava’s recruitment from the start, and the parallels are important to point out — Mays, a three-time All-American safety at USC and a former NFL player, built his career on the same kind of size-and-versatility package Wily-Ava is growing into. During his recruitment, Mays told Wily-Ava that he could play corner, safety, or linebacker at the next level. For a prospect who has spent his sophomore and junior years showing flashes of all three, that pitch landed.

Arizona State made this one a fight. The Sun Devils were squarely in the mix throughout the spring. Michigan was also among the programs in the late mix.

For Washington’s 2027 class, Wily-Ava’s pledge is a foundational piece in the secondary and another signal that Fisch’s staff can win head-to-head battles for elite West Coast talent.

The St. John Bosco pipeline also matters here. The Braves remain one of the most heavily recruited programs in the country, and a commitment of this caliber reinforces Washington’s connection with the Southern California powerhouse.

By the time Wily-Ava arrives in Seattle, Husky fans will be getting a player who already looks the part, plays multiple positions at a high level, and chose Washington over a Power 4 program that pushed for him to the very end.