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The Top Husky Football Players This Coming Season, 1-10

Originally posted on Washington Huskies on SI
By Dan Raley | Last updated Mar 7, 2025 12:06 PM ET

Those college football magazines available for purchase in supermarkets in late summer or early fall -- Lindy's, Athlon and Phil Steele, to name few -- are being written right now because it's a comprehensive undertaking to gather all of the information, photos and rosters and put everything together in advance of next season.

One of these longstanding publications -- and, full disclosure, I previously worked for more than one of them going back decades -- reached out and wanted input on the University of Washington's top 10 players.

Six months before the season begins, and a month prior to spring football practice, here's what I settled on.

Now some of you immediately might question Zach Durfee as the first name to appear, especially since he either hasn't been eligible or able to stay healthy in two seasons in Montlake.

However, both Kalen DeBoer and Jedd Fisch's staff coaching staffs have raved about the edge rusher and his playmaking ability. Those of us who have sat through practice and repeatedly watched Durfee up close aren't about to argue.

The UW's top 10 players are as follows in this particular order:

1. ZACH DURFEE -- A priority for the Fisch staff is to get a full season out of this 6-foot-5, 256-pound junior. He has two years of eligibility remaining, yet the NFL won't let him play more than one more should the Huskies get him on the field and unleash him on defenseless quarterbacks. Envision Joey Bosa or JJ Watt coming off the edge and disrupting everything. Power and speed.

2. DESMOND WILLIAMS JR. -- Put an effective offensive line in front of this 5-foot-11, 187-pound sophomore quarterback and watch him terrorize defenses. HIs Sun Bowl performance -- 374 yards and 4 touchdowns passing -- was no accident. His foot speed is scary. He could be the second coming of a young Russell Wilson, both elusive and strong-armed.

3. TACARIO DAVIS -- This Arizona transfer comes with impeccable credentials at cornerback as a second-team All Big 12 and All-Pac-12 selection, and his outer worldly size of 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds. He's an NFL player waiting to happen.

4. JONAH COLEMAN -- The impressive thing about Coleman is he became a 1,000-yard rusher last season without the benefit of a proven offensive line. He'll get an upgrade in blockers this fall. No matter who's escorting him, the 5-foot-9, 229-senior runs as hard as any UW back in recent times.

5. CARVER WILLIS -- With this Kansas State transfer, the true indication that he's a talent were the 54 schools that contacted him once he entered the portal. The mobile 6-foot-5, 291-pound offensive tackle can run, as shown in an online video online in which he covered 40 yards running side by side with one of his backs at his previous stop.

6. JACOB MANU -- If they can get him healthy, he'll be the Huskies' best linebacker. The 5-foot-11, 228-pound senior led the Pac-12 in tackles in 2023 with 116 tackles and was selected first-team all-conference. However, he's coming off a midseason knee injury and his availability isn't clear.

7. LANDEN HATCHETT -- If Willis isn't the UW's top offensive linemen, it will be this 6-foot-2, 310-pound sophomore center. Coming off a knee injury suffered in Sugar Bowl practice at the end of 2023, he showed off his versatility and started at three different positions for last season's Huskies -- right guard, left guard and center.

8. DENZEL BOSTON -- He was the Huskies' No. 1 receiver for much of last season with 63 catches for 834 yards and 9 touchdowns, and the 6-foot-4, 209-pound junior should make it much more obvious this fall.

9. DECKER DEGRAAF -- He was the most decorated of multiple UW freshmen who played in 2024, with the 6-foot-3, 240-pound tight end earning Freshman All-America honors from two different organizations. It was just a start.

10. EPHESIANS PRYSOCK -- Paired with Davis again -- they started together at Arizona in 2023 -- the 6-foot-4, 193-pound Prysock and his running mate will give the Huskies one of the tallest cornerback tandems in the nation. His game stands to improve with the corner upgrade opposite him.

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

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