Every Fall there are some players who surprise and charge up the depth chart.  While depth chart surprises in Fall Camp are great to talk about they are also a two-edged sword.  As one player climbs the depth chart he pushes someone else down it.  Sometimes there was an inkling of what was going to happen in mop-up duties the year before or in the spring

Ben Burr-Kirven is a prime example.  In 2016 Azeem Victor started the first 10 games of the season before going down with a season-ending injury.  Burr-Kirven stepped into Victor’s spot in the final 3 games.  In the Apple Cup BBK, as he’s commonly referred to, had 5 stops.  He backed that up with six tackles in the Pac-12 Championship Game and 5 in the College Football Playoffs.  Victor was named to the Pac-12 First Team Defense that year but the position was BBK’s and he never let go, becoming an All-American in 2018.

Mike Martin, Senior Writer

I expect Austin Harnetiaux to charge up the depth chart.  First off, linebacker is a position of need that appears to be wide open.  Any slip-up by any of the veteran players and the walk-on from Seattle Prep will look to seize the position.  Simply known as four-four in high school, Harnetiaux doesn’t take no for an answer.  Checking in at 6-3 and 230 pounds, he displayed freakish athleticism before enrolling at UW he was working out at Ford Sports Performance in Bellevue.  By many accounts, he out-lifted anybody in sight and ran with the defensive backs.  He may need a bit of time to fully learn the playbook, so he will be happy to earn his stripes in special teams.

Trevor Mueller, 4th and Inches Network

I could see running back Sam Adams making a move, especially in the new offense.  Now 6-2 and 198, he has tremendous size either as a running back or as a receiver.  His junior and senior years at Eastside Catholic, winning back-to-back state championships, he accumulated 1,595 rushing yards, 388 receiving yards, and 33 touchdowns.  DeBoer’s offense puts a premium on exploiting mismatches and pretty much anywhere he is placed Adams will be faster than a linebacker and bigger than a defensive back.  Finally healthy, Adams could finally find footing in the new offensive scheme.

Evan Feather, Writer, Videographer, Photographer

Jay’Veon Sunday may be difficult to keep off the field.  Cam Davis and Aaron Dumas get all of the talk but Sunday runs like an animal.  Friday nights at Connally High School in Waco, Texas Sunday put up unbelievable numbers, eclipsing both 5,000 rushing yards and 80 rushing touchdowns, all before skipping his senior season.  Although he has 8 carries to his credit at Washington, he will fight to earn some carries in 2021.  He could be a valuable weapon, especially around the goal line where he can his pile-moving 6-0 203-pounds into the endzone.

Kyle Waltos, Senior Writer

Receiver Lonyatta Alexander, Jr. is primed to make a move–his third move.  First, to Tempe, Arizona, then back to Seattle, and now up Washington’s receiver depth chart.  The Huskies have an enviable receiving corps with Rome Odunze, Jalen McMillan, Ja’Lynn Polk, Giles Jackson, and his former high school teammate at Kennedy Catholic in Burien, Washington, Jabez Tinae.  DeBoer will use 2, 3, 4 receiver sets which will likely put Junior, as he’s commonly known, into his natural habitat of soft spots in defenses.  With many defenses keying on other receivers Alexander can be a chain-mover.  The sure-handed Alexander can turn defensive backs inside out and move up the depth chart in Fall Camp.

Roman Tomashoff, Senior Editor

Hamburg, Germany’s Maurice Heims could be move his way up Washington’s depth chart this fall.  With Washington’s new attacking defense, co-defensive coordinators William Inge and Chuck Morrell will try to find the hot hand.   Heims has gotten to learn from the best in Zion Tupuola-Fetui and watch how Jeremiah Martin, Bralen Trice, and Sav’ell Smalls have contributed early in their careers.  A high-motor guy with nearly ideal size (6-5 and 261 pounds) and speed (4.6 in the 40-yard dash) for an edge defender, Heims will push for playing time with a good showing in Fall Camp.

Warren Mainard, Dawg and Duck Show

Big seasons are expected out of tight ends Devin Culp and Quentin Moore.  Both are more in the receiving tight end mold leaving some snaps for Zeke Pelluer.  At 6-5 and 265 pounds he fits the role of the traditional block-first tight end.  I expect Culp to be used more as a reciever, and Jack Westover in the H-back role.  In jumbo packages and short yardage situations Pelluer could move into the two-deeps this fall and find significant playing time.

Of course, out of the blue someone else will inevitably blow this list up and plant their flag in the depth chart.  It’s not uncommon for a big portion of growth to happen between the sophomore and junior years so we’ll keep an eye out for them.  In the next of our Fall Camp Preview Series, we’ll look at who will benefit most from a clean slate.