Husky Roster Review: Ryan Otton's Career Has Been Painful for Him

This is one in a series of articles -- going from 0 to 99 on the Husky roster -- examining what each scholarship player and leading walk-on did this past spring and what to expect from them going forward.

Otton must be totally worn down by the obstacles presented him in his college football career considering what the expectations were for him.

The 6-foot-6, 245-pound junior from Tumwater, Washington, actually arrived as a higher-rated, 4-star player with a bigger body than his older brother, Cade, who became a first-team All-Pac-12 selection and a fourth-round NFL draft pick and now starts for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Ryan Otton was injured in his first UW practice in 2022, severely pulling a hamstring in fall camp. Fifteen months ago, he came off the field favoring his right shoulder. He's no doubt had other health issues, as well.

"Ryan, right now, is running his recovery process and we're going to try and get him back as soon as possible," Paopao said midway through spring ball. 

During the ninth of the 15 practices, Otton and other injured Huskies climbed stadium steps in a single line, going up and down aisles while fans sat and watched the Saturday scrimmage that day.

More often, this younger Otton was by himself as he emerged from the training or weight room and came out for the end of practice.

One had to wonder if he's considered giving up the game because it's been so unfair to him for so long at the college level.

Yet he also knows that his brother Cade missed four games as a UW senior in 2021 -- two to COVID and the final two because of a foot injury -- but he bounced back to become an NFL standout.

RYAN OTTON FILE

What he's done: At the UW, Otton missed either all or nearly all of the 2022 and 2024 seasons and he's barely made it through spring practice as he enters his fourth season. He's appeared in just two games, against Colorado as a freshman and California as a redshirt freshman. Showing what he's capable of doing, Otton twice has been named as scout team player of the week.

Starter or not: Otton, with his bloodlines and athleticism, would seem like an eventual starting candidate, but, honestly, time is running out for him to work his way up the depth chart, which is full of talented players. His luck has to change, doesn't it?

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