Even without Joe Tryon and Levi Onwuzurike who both sat out the pandemic shortened 2020 season to prepare for the NFL Draft, Washington saw a tremendous performance from their defensive line in all four games. Add in the fact that Laiatu Latu missed the entire season and Tuli Letuligasenoa only played in two games, this defensive line has sky-high potential in 2021.

The Huskies are seeing a lot of returning faces on both sides of the trenches, which is going to make them very tough to beat. As these former four and five-star recruits continue to develop, the coaching staff will continue to prove to both the national media and high school recruits that they’re one of the best developers of talent in the nation.

Defensive Tackle

Tuli Letuligasenoa, Junior

Faatui Tuitele, Sophomore

As all Husky fans know, the combinations of defensive linemen are interchangeable. Letuligasenoa and Tuitele might be the two tackles on the field for Bob Gregory in obvious passing situations. Arguably the most complete player in the room, Letuligasenoa is a true three-down lineman, he can plug up running lanes and get after the quarterback effectively. Tuitele is next in line to fill that role. Already an exceptional pass rusher, he’ll be the next in a long line of great Washington defensive linemen.

Defensive Tackle

Sam Taimani, Junior

Jacob Bandes, Sophomore

While Taimani is best against the run, he has a lot of potential as a pass rusher that could come to fruition in 2021. He has an elite first step for his size and tons of natural power that he can use to collapse the pocket. Bandes is cut from the same cloth, even though he’s 20 pounds lighter than the 335 pound Taimani. As Bandes continues to develop, expect him to take some of the passing down snaps away from Taimani. Spring camp is going to be a huge opportunity for Bandes to show the coaching staff how far he’s come over his first two years on campus.

Outside linebacker

Zion Tupuola-Fetui, Junior

OR Ryan Bowman, Senior

This is incredibly tough, considering Tupuola-Fetui is the best returning player at his position in the country. This pairing played across from each other a lot in 2020, but there’s a chance that won’t be the case in 2021 due to the return of Laiatu Latu. Jimmy Lake has shown no hesitation to use an “or” when naming his starters, and that should be expected here as well. With both players being outstanding in the run game, as well as ZTF’s explosion onto the scene as a pass rusher in 2020, both guys should see a fair amount of snaps in 2021.

Outside linebacker

Laiatu Latu, Junior

Sav’ell Smalls, Redshirt freshman

These two players might have the highest ceilings of anyone on the defense. If Latu proves that he’s fully healthy and has continued to refine his technique, there’s a chance he and ZTF form the best edge duo in the country in 2021. With the power he can create from his frame, plus his advanced arsenal of moves, there aren’t many tackles who can stop him consistently. The same can be said about Smalls, and as he continues to adjust to the college game, he should see a bigger increase in snaps.