When Micheal Penix announced his return to Washington for three 2023 football season it keyed the return of several other desirable Husky players for the NFL.  Here’s a look at 6 draft-eligible players from UW’s 11-2 season in 2022.

Jaxson Kirkland, Guard/Tackle

Pro Football Focus #8 Guard, ESPN #18 Tackle.

6-7, 321 pounds

Standing in at 6-7, weighing 321 pounds at the combine Jaxson Kirkland is a mountain of a man. The 24 year old is off to the NFL after 6 seasons at Washington. On the field forUW, Kirkland was a dominant force for the Huskies, winning first team All-Pac-12 Conference honors in his 3 final years in Seattle.

Those awards came for Kirkland as a tackle, the position that he switched to in 2020. Kirkland saw time at both tackle and guard at UW and is being scouted for his ability to play both at the next level.   The son of Husky Legend Dean Kirkland, Jaxson has the experience to play either position at the pro level which is a big plus for any team looking to pick up the offensive line. His quick twitch and good hands have Kirkland set up to be a talented run blocker on an NFL team.

While concerns exist about his ability in pass protection, his experience and success in that category should prove to be enough for Kirkland to find himself competing for a starting job as a rookie. Kirkland is currently projected as a day three pick, but with his physical traits and proven ability he could easily find himself being one of the steals of the draft on the offensive line.

Being a late round pick makes it hard to pinpoint what teams will be looking at him, but both the Titans and Lions will be looking for reinforcement up and down the board this weekend.

 

Henry Bainivalu, Guard

ESPN #16 Guard.

6-6, 306 pounds.

Bainivalu, standing at 6-6 and weighing 306, his NFL Combine measurements from Indianapolis, is another large human being the Huskies had dominating in the trenches.

Bainivalu  has been flirting with all conference honors since he took control of the left guard spot in 2020. He shows off his impressive physicality on the football field where he earned all Pac-12 Vonference honorable mentions twice in three years.

The biggest green flags are the biggest parts of his game. As a big man he is a physical force on the inside, both as a run and pass blocker. While he has his struggles against quick and faster opposition when he gets locked on he has the ability to push defenders wherever he wants.

Almost impossible to overpower, if Bainvalu can improve on his quickness he will be a serviceable guard in the National Football League.  Projections of Bainvalu’s draft spot range from early fourth round to falling out of the draft completely. Bainvalu has the tools to potentially develop in to a starting guard in the NFL if he gets things right.

Going to a team that has historical success building Offensive lineman would be a huge boost to his career, which is why teams like Cleveland and Philadelphia would be a perfect spot for both Bainvalu and those teams looking for potential guards.

Jeremiah Martin, Edge Rush @undertheradarscouting (Instagram) #33 EDGE.

6-4, 261 pounds.

Jeremiah Martin’s production jump in his final season is the reason we are here. Martin finally tapped into the talent that he had been billed with as a four star recruit out of Cajon High School.

Despite not being invited to the NFL Draft Combine, Martin made the most of his UW pro day showcasing his athletic ability.

Martin’s athleticism is evident with his 83-inch wing span immediately jumps off the page, pair that with a 35.5-inch vertical leap, and an impressive 7.09 seconds in the three-cone drill, and you have yourself looking at a potential impact player on a Defensive line.

Martin is not just an elite athlete, but is also considered a mental warrior. Noted for both his impressive awareness and incredibly high running motor, Martin provides a very low-risk option late in day three or as a UDFA signing. His struggles in college production seemed to be overcome this year by his appearance on the all Pac-12 Conference first team but question marks remain about his ability to produce on field results. If Martin can sustain his play from his senior year onto an NFL roster then he could end up being quite a steal for a team willing to develop him.

Cam Bright, Linebacker

NFL Draft Buzz #42 Linebacker

6-0, 219 pounds

Cam Bright is quite confusing as a physical prospect. On one hand he is one of, if not the, smallest Linebacker in the class. Standing at just 6’0″ and weighing 219 pounds at his pro day Bright has concerns purely based on that. On the other hand he benched 33 reps. And had a 10-7 broad jump.

Bright plays a strong brand of football, getting success inside with his combination of strength and explosiveness. He covers the whole field well and had success in wrecking plays in-between the tackles. The former Husky had his issues in coverage and that will likely be the limiting factor to his professional ceiling.

However, he is an intangible player. Bright hasn’t missed a game since 2018 at Pitt, and makes up for his size with his incredible intelligence and awareness levels to find and attack the ball in traffic.

Bright had his best season in 2022 as he earned Pac-12 Conference honorable mention. Bright could easily be picked up in a late round (many scouts feel 6th or 7th) but could slip out of the draft all together. His ability to add on to his skill set will be key for a player with flashes of NFL ability.

Jordan Perryman, Cornerback

NFL Draft Buzz #119 Cornerback

6-0, 198 pounds

After transferring to UW from UC Davis Perryman looks to take the next step in his career and ascend to the National Football League.

Perryman’s combination of length and speed allow him to be a good coverage corner in downfield situations. His aggressive nature as a tackler and physicality in coverage should earn him some recognition by teams looking for intriguing secondary pieces in the ending rounds and free agency.

The biggest issue with Perryman sings to his strengths. He was able to beat receivers based on physicality throughout 2022, something that he may not be able to rely on at the next level.

He will need to work on his ability in coverage on shorter throws if he wants to find a job in the NFL. Perryman will most likely sign as a UDFA, but don’t be shocked to see him taken off the board late on day three.

Alex Cook, Safety

6-1, 199 pounds

Husky captain Alex Cook is off to try his hand in the pros. The well-built safety has a head for the game and provided a crucial, aggressive mentality to the Huskies secondary.

He found success in wrapping up and coming downhill to stop runners. His issues begin to pop up in coverage where Cook lacked the explosion and ball skills needed to be a true impact safety. however, there is a lot to be said for his physical presence and competitive mentality.

If he proves to have the same abilities to take good angles and bring down runners then he will find himself as a sure fire special teamer in the NFL.