The Washington Huskies secured the top recruit in the state as Bethel’s Zaydrius Rainey-Sale chose the hometown Huskies over Florida State and UCLA. Rainey-Sale is a huge commitment for UW as it secures the state’s top two recruits for the class of 2025.
Size: Standing 6-2 and weighing 220 Rainey-Sales is the ideal size linebacker who could play in the middle or on the outside. His height makes him a candidate to excel on the outside and become a hybrid that can rush the passer in 3rd and long situations.
Speed: There is a lot to like about the speed in which Zaydrius Rainey-Sales plays. He is explosive sideline to sideline and has a top gear where he can close on a ball-carrier or be very good dropping into pass coverage.
Strength: One thing that sets him apart from other prospects is his patience when diagnosing a play. When he has made his choice to pursue blockers have a tough time keeping him in front. He gets into the bodies of linemen and is able to disengage to get to the ball.
Fit: Zaydrius Rainey-Sale is a perfect fit for any defense. He does so many things at a high level that he is hard to exploit in an offense gameplan. He is an explosive athlete that gets after the quarterback, he is patient in the run game, and is very good in coverage. He is so good in every aspect of the game that he will come into Washington as a 3-down linebacker.
ScoutLook: There isn’t much that one can say about his game without using hyperbole. He’s big, he’s fast, he tackles, he is great at getting to the quarterback, he changes direction well etc. etc. He is a complete linebacker who is fundamentally sound as well as athletically gifted. His burst and raw speed are rare to see in a linebacker prospect.
Husky Comparison: Edefuan Ulofoshio