A Closer Look at Husky Target Keona Wilhite

Originally posted on FanNation Husky Maven
By Roman Tomashoff | Last updated 5/27/23

Washington's coaching staff is pushing hard to upgrade its defensive line in the class of 2024. With the assumption that Bralen Trice and Zion Tupuola-Fetui are both going to be off to the NFL following the 2023 season, there will be a lot of snaps up for grabs in 2024.

Edge rushers coach Eric Schmidt has said as much and is selling recruits on the possibility of early playing time. "He tells me a lot that there's a chance for me to get on the field early," said three-star edge recruit Deshawn Warner. "The edge rushers they have coming back in 2024 haven't played a lot of snaps yet, so there would be a chance for me to fight for a spot right away."

Keona Wilhite has seen a lot of success in his high school career. The three-star edge rusher from Salpointe Catholic in Tucson, Arizona, has the potential to wreck a game plan on his own, but having five-star edge rusher Elijah Rushing lining up on the other side of his defensive line certainly doesn't hurt either.

However, that does mean that sometimes Wilhite might get overlooked. His film tells a very different story.

The 6-foot-5, 236-pounder is ranked as the 668th overall player in the country and could see a big rise during his senior year. Wilhite's film shows a versatile player with a lot of tools that can be easily molded by a college coaching staff.

Salpointe Catholic utilizes Wilhite as a defensive tackle for a fair amount of time and he is impressive against the run. He's a good tackler, keeps his eyes in the backfield and knows how and when to shed blocks, even while being held.

As a pass rusher, his 80.5-inch wingspan works wonders for him. He's able to keep offensive linemen off his chest but still has a long way to go in terms of establishing an arsenal of pass-rush moves. That being said, his bull rush is a sight to behold and leads to a win for Wilhite nine times out of 10.

His frame will enable him to play at somewhere between 250-260 pounds, which will add even more to an already powerful frame. He also displays impressive quickness off the ball and, as he continues to work on his pass-rushing arsenal, Wilhite has the potential to be a star at the college level.

Go to si.com/college/washington to read the latest Inside the Huskies stories — as soon as they’re published.

This article first appeared on FanNation Husky Maven and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: