Finally done with the “Way Too Early” predictions by every news outlet, now with the season’s start under 50 days, there will be countless versions of preseason lists.  One of those lists comes in from Pro Football Focus which released its 2023 Pac-12 All-Conference teams.

No surprise to have Washington receivers Jalen McMillan and Rome Odunze on the first team but joining them is left tackle Troy Fautanu.  McMillan has also played the part of Washington’s Hype Man, drawing attention to 2022’s number 1 passing offense, saying that the 2023 offense’s “potential is unmatched”.

Also on the PFF offensive list are 2nd teamer and Heisman contender quarterback Michael Penix and 3rd teamer Roger Rosengarten.

Defensively, edge defender Bralen Trice and defensive tackle Tuli Leguligasenoa are on the first team while linebacker Edefuan Ulofosio is on the 2nd team.  Former All-American Zion-Tupuola-Fetui and safety Asa Turner made the third team.

Also on the first team defense are former Huskies linebacker Jackson Sirmon and edge Laiatu Latu.

With the Huskies breaking in its three interior offensive linemen this season, it’s not surprising that only returning starters Fautanu and Rosengarten made the list.  Unsurprisingly, Turner is the only Washington defensive back on the list.  Ulofoshio is one of three Husky players from Las Vegas on the list.  Odunze and Fautanu are the others.

As far as special teams, PFF doesn’t list long snappers, but Jaden Green would certainly be on the list if they rated that position.  Since his very first snap in 2020 that went over the head of UW’s punter, Green has been excellent, making Phil Steele’s Pac-12 third team last season.  Along the way, the junior from Gilbert, Arizona has also racked up 9 career special team tackles.

Another special teams’ player to keep an eye on is gunner/linebacker Austin Harnetieaux.

Running back Dillon Johnson who transferred from Mississippi State this spring was rated by PFF as the 4th best back in the Transfer Portal could certainly make the list by the end of the season if the offense lives up to McMillan’s billing.  Likewise, senior tight ends Devin Culp or Jack Westover could conceivably appear on the list by season’s end.

For his part, McMillan is rated as the nation’s number 1 slot receiver last season with 957 receiving yards including 24 catches of 15 yards or more–both 1st in both categories among P5 Wide Receivers.  His Husky counterpart Odunze is the third-most valuable returning Power 5 receiver.  In fact, outside of the Ohio State duo of Marvin Harrison, Jr, and Emeka Egbuka, Odunze is the most productive returning P5 receiver with 605 yards against single coverage trailing only Harrison among that group.

Distributing the ball to Odunze, McMillan, and Co. is Penix who led Power 5 QBs in 2022 with 4,641 passing yards.  Additionally, his 1.3% turnover-worthy play rate ranked fifth lowest in the country.

Defensively, the Huskies filled a few holes by adding USC LB transfer Ralen Goforth, Jabbar Mohommad, who was one of the top-rated DBs in the Big 12 last season, and one of the top JuCo DB transfers Thaddeus Dixon may find themselves on the list.

One darkhorse candidate for the list is true freshman Deven Bryant a Max Preps’ Second Team All-American for St. John Bosco in California last fall.  He was tabbed by the scouting service as “the leading tackler for the best defense in high school football”.  In spring he looked ready to step out of the shadow being a true freshman and into the spotlight if either Ulofoshio or Goforth slip up.