For UW Freshman WRs, Real Battle Hasn't Begun

Originally posted on Washington Huskies on SI
By Dan Raley | Last updated Aug 28, 2025 8:54 AM ET

For five months now, the competition at University of Washington wide receiver has been nothing short of captivating and intriguing.

And this particular conversation doesn't even include any of the veteran Husky pass-catchers. We're talking only freshmen here.

Consider that first-year players Chris Lawson and Marcus Harris started the May 2 Spring Game for the Purple team and split out wide for No. 1 quarterback Demond Williams Jr. to throw to them.

Leading up to that moment, fellow freshman receiver Raiden Vines-Bright was injured before turning into a Spring Game sensation -- with 8 catches for 131 yards and a touchdown for the White team -- with yet another first-year wideout in Dezmen Roebuck still in high school outside of Tucson, Arizona.

This week, Vines-Bright will start the season opener against Colorado State, according to coach Jedd Fisch, while Roebuck shows up in the two-deeps. Both are going to play a lot.

Lawson and Harris?

Those two didn't become any less talented, they just got injured in fall camp, fell back in the pecking order and are working to get involved again.

Imagine when all four of these freshmen receivers are healthy, motivated and present all at the same time.

It could be a route-running and high-pointing free-for-all well worth watching.

"it's exciting," offensive coordinator Jimmie Dougherty concurred. "We've got some good young players in the program that we're really excited about. I think it's a great recruiting class. It shows how hard and how much effort and time we put into recruiting and bringing the right guys in here."

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Lawson from San Francisco was the highest rated of this foursome coming to Montlake, deemed a 4-star recruit by 247Sports, and fhe ielded offers from Penn State, Oregon, USC and many others..

Harris, a 6-foot-1, 195-pounder from SoCal powerhouse Mater Dei, went with the Huskies over Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma and others. He ended the Spring Game with a 15-yard touchdown catch.

Vines-Bright, at 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, is more filled out than the other guys, with his physicality a big factor in battling defensive backs for the ball. He had recruiting offers from Alabama, Michigan, Notre Dame and more.

While they got their shot early as Huskies, Lawson and Harris were spectators for the Huskies' recent mock game while dealing with their unspecified ailments.

"Obviously, the guys are battling that injury bug, with Chris and Marcus," Dougherty said. "But it's a great class. Raiden was a little slow to start in the spring because he wasn't quite healthy and then you saw him start to take off at the end of spring and he's had a great fall camp. Super excited about him."

The 6-foot-11, 185-pound Roebuck, who finished with an Arizona high school state-record 352 catches, was lightly recruited, but the UW's interest never wavered.

He was still finishing up high school when the others were early UW enrollees. Once he arrived for fall camp, he caught everything thrown to him and very quickly closed the gap with his fellow freshmen.

Again at some juncture, these four receivers will all be on the same page, all feeling healthy, each trying to outdo each other, presumably all putting on a show.

"Those guys have taken advantage of their opportunities," Dougherty said. "Super excited about that [receiver] class, and the recruiting class as a whole."

This article first appeared on Washington Huskies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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