Montlake Momentum Continues: Huskies Draw Rave Reviews from Visitors
UW football impresses 2026 and 2027 recruits with NFL-style development, strong culture—and Fisch’s social posts hint that more commitments are on the way.
Washington’s second of three major June visit weekends once again delivered for the Huskies. With key 2026 recruits in town and one local 2027 recruit visiting, the program continued to showcase its identity as a serious player on the national recruiting trail — and the early feedback from prospects reflects that.
This past weekend capped off a strong two-week stretch for Jedd Fisch’s staff. Prior to last weekend’s commitments from 2026 safety Gavin Day and offensive tackle Dominic Harris, Fisch posted his signature four purple umbrella emojis, indicating the Huskies netted four commitments. The two other purported commitments from last weekend have yet to be publicly announced.
Then, this Sunday, following this weekend’s visits, Fisch returned to social media with a dancing in the rain GIF and the caption X2, suggesting two more commitments from this weekend are on the way.
While names have yet to be made public, the message is clear: Washington’s recruiting momentum is picking up.
Here’s what several of this weekend’s visitors had to say:
2026 TE Kai Wesley: “Washington still stands high on my list”
Three-star tight end Kai Wesley of Orem (UT) — who lists Washington alongside Colorado State, Baylor, Boise State, and Florida State in his top five — was struck by the foundation set by the Huskies’ staff.
“It was a great visit. I felt like it was a good balance of fun activities and informational meetings. The program seems like a well-oiled machine with all the right pieces in place,” Wesley said.
He added that the scenic backdrop and the energy of current players, including his host offensive graduate assistant Jacob Smith, made an impression.
“He was the ultimate hype man, ready to talk up every aspect of the program and answer all the questions we had.”
Most important to Wesley: UW’s NFL pro-style offense.
“The pro-style offense they run is really cool because it prepares you for what you're going to get in the NFL. Washington for sure still stands high on my list.”
2026 TE/LB Sam Vyhlidal: “It really seems like a brotherhood”
Oregon native and three-star tight end/linebacker Sam Vyhlidal (Mountainside HS) also made his official visit this weekend. Vyhlidal holds 16 reported offers and is scheduled to visit UNLV on June 20.
“It was awesome! All the coaches and staff talked a lot about what they do to make sure players have everything they need to perform at a high level. They basically remove all excuses so we can be great.”
He walked away with a strong impression of UW’s team culture.
“I talked to a lot of players and it really seem[s] like a brotherhood. I liked it a lot. It is definitely a top-tier program.”
2026 DB Jeron Jones: Connections with current players standout
Defensive back Jeron Jones of Mission Viejo High School (CA) also made his official visit this weekend and left feeling even more confident in what Washington has to offer.
“Biggest takeaways were how much I meant to the program [ ], how much I would impact the future, and the connections with the current players,” Jones said. “I mean, my view of this program has always been great in my eyes — after this visit it just made it even greater.”
2026 WR Mason James: A “really strong coaching staff”
Norman North (OK) wide receiver Mason James, who has Washington in his Top 5 (Washington, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Kansas State), came away from his Montlake official visit with strong impressions.
“My biggest takeaways were how well I fit into the offense, [ ] how big of a priority [I am] for them, and also how loved I am by the staff” James said. “My experience impacted my view of the program, of how I am going to be developed, and how important wide receivers are to their program.” James called the coaching staff “really strong.”
2027 QB Sione Tu’amoheloa-Kaho: “Everything was really good and amazing”
2027 four-star quarterback Sione Tu’amoheloa-Kaho (Lincoln HS – WA) was also at Washington this weekend, making yet another unofficial visit to Montlake. Though not on an official visit, the young signal-caller is quickly becoming one of the most familiar faces on campus.
“So many things pop out: the whole new facility, [the] new meetings room, and [the] dining area,” Kaho said. “The coaches — Coach JP [Losman], Coach Jimmie [Dougherty], and Coach Fisch — they all said I am a major priority, and they for sure made me feel like it.”
Kaho has visited Washington multiple times this spring, and his relationship with the staff — including with Coach Dougherty, continues to grow.
Four-star edge Tristian Givens (2026), Texas A&M commit four-star edge Samu Moala (2026), three-star edge Fameitau Siale (2026), three-star LB Ezaya Tokio (2026), and three-star Tufanua Ionatana Umu-Cais (2026) also visited this weekend.
Looking ahead, Washington will host 2026 OT Collin Campbell from Arizona next weekend (June 13), followed by a jam-packed slate of visitors during the weekend of June 20.
If recent trends — and Coach Fisch’s social media posts — are any indication, more commitments could be around the corner. For Wesley, Vyhlidal, Jones and Kaho, the visit confirmed what Washington is building: a player-first program with a clear path to the next level.
6/9/25 Update: Added quotes from Mason James.