A Washington Huskies helmet. Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Washington lands four-star RB with blazing speed over Big Ten foes

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated Jul 8, 2025 8:49 PM ET

It was an all-Big-Ten recruitment for four-star running back Brian Bonner from Valencia, California.

He thought about staying in-state and playing for UCLA. He also considered a Big Ten power in Penn State and a potential sleeping giant in Nebraska.

Ultimately, the 6-foot, 185-pound speedster decided to commit to Jedd Fisch and the Washington Huskies and this is a huge win for that program, considering his rankings.

BREAKING: Four-Star RB Brian Bonner Jr. has Committed to Washington, he tells me for @rivals

The 6’0 190 RB from Santa Clarita, CA chose the Huskies over UCLA, Penn State, & Nebraska

He’s ranked as the No. 4 RB in 2026 ☔️https://t.co/gTvp2CvfNO pic.twitter.com/SsT3EuQPAT
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) July 8, 2025

Bonner is ranked as the No. 6 running back in the 2026 class, according to 247Sports. On3/Rivals is even higher on him, ranking him as the No. 4 running back in the country.

Bonner is a track and field star, but he's also a raw running back recruit considering the fact that 2024 was his first season at the position full-time. He knows how to use his speed to his advantage, though, and his experience as a wideout makes him a dual-threat target as a running back.

He ran the 100-meter in 2024 with a time of 11.22 and the 200-meter with a personal best time of 21.85. On the football field, Bonner rushed 197 times for 1,493 yards and 25 touchdowns. A former receiver, he caught 40 passes for 498 yards and four touchdowns out of the backfield.

Bonner is an elite running back recruit, without a doubt, and now he's the 18th member of the Huskies' 2026 class. That's a class that's now ranked No. 17 nationally.

Andrew Kulha

Andrew Kulha is probably the only sports writer you know who also doubles as a mortician. Spooky! @KulhaSports

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