On the hottest day of the year, things got even hotter on the shores of Lake Washington. It was supposed to be the biggest recruiting weekend in recent memory. Jordan Whitney had every intention of kicking the tires one more time in Seattle and then going back to Oxnard, California to marinate on his final two college choices: Washington and Arizona. But less than 48 hours after his arrival, all doubt about the destination was removed.
Whitney’s pledge gave Washington its sixth commitment in the last six days, and fourth in the past 36 hours:
- 3-star DE Jacob Lane
- 3-star DB Diesel Gordon
- 4-star DL Anthony James
- 3-star OT Zachary Henning
- 4-star DB Vincent Holmes
- 3-star DB Jordan Whitney
Just a couple of weeks ago, it seemed like the Huskies were going to be an afterthought on the recruiting trail, but now they’re hitting the afterburners.
In 247’s national recruiting rankings, Washington has risen dramatically over the past six days from 59th, all the way to 25th. With several other big targets spending the night in Seattle, rumors are floating like boats on Lake Washington for a Saturday in the fall, and UW could rise even higher.
Just as Mt. Rainier rises in the background of the videos the commits and staff have put out on social media, the Huskies have risen from the bottom of the conference up to fourth. Rescuing recruiting seemed like climbing Mount Everest when head coach Kalen DeBoer first stepped on campus, but he brought a group of young, energetic, relentless recruiters with him that have turned the tide on Montlake.
With over 20 visitors, and Twitter teases from Washington coaches, Husky fans have been glued to their mobile devices on the hottest day of the year.
More are expected to announce their commitment to Washington over the coming days, but Whitney wasn’t supposed to be one of them. His pledge shows that the new Washington staff knows how to close the deal.
