This week starts a new feature in which we examine each position group for the 2020 class. This includes the current committed players — and this week we’re focusing on the receivers.

First, let’s talk about Junior Adams.

Adams was hired last year to come in and, not only use his recruiting prowess, but also to re-vamp the existing group. Adams had fresh eyes with recruiting.

The current commits are Rome Odunze (6-3, 200), Sawyer Racanelli (6-3, 205), and Jalen McMillan (6-2, 183).

When taking a thorough look at the current receivers on the Husky roster, you’ll notice that they keep getting a little taller; over 6-1, and bigger. And with the 2020 class they continue to grow in stature and overall weight.

Junior Adams likes this; he wants guys who are physical and solid with yards-after-catch. 

When fall camp began Adams had his receivers out working on sleds — this is because downfield blocking hasn’t been as strong for this group in the past two seasons. This had to be fixed and Adams made it a priority to get this under control.

While improvement has been made, Adams is bringing in physically strong receivers in 2020 who won’t need any re-programming.

Sawyer Racanelli is sidelined this season due to a knee injury, and it’s likely he’ll use his freshman year to redshirt and complete next-level rehabbing, but looking ahead at Racanelli, you see a guy who has also played safety — and some fans have even asked if he would move to linebacker at Washington.

No — he’s a receiver. And once he hits the field he’ll bring a physicality that hasn’t been seen at Washington since the days of Reggie Williams. 

Do not underestimate this kid — he’s the real deal.

But let’s also talk about McMillan and Odunze…

Junior Adams has ties to one of the most electrifying receiver tandems of the 21st century; T. J. Houshmandzadeh and Chad Johnson.

These guys were on the 2000 Oregon State team that went to the Fiesta Bowl and were one of the most prolific offenses anyone had seen up until that point in college football history.

Both, in the 6-2 range. And both went onto the NFL. 

So naturally a guy like Adams would have a vision of what he wants to see out of his receivers now that he is a coach for a Power Five program where the goal is to win a national title.

Jalen McMillan has good size and length to go with elite speed. McMillan has a wide catch radius with great burst off the line of scrimmage to get separation from the DBs. McMillan high-points the ball and DBs have a tough time jamming him at the line because of that innate ability to get separation. 

McMillan is already projected as a future first-day draft choice. 

Rome Odunze, on the other hand, has great straight-line speed off the line of scrimmage. With 4.4 speed he has huge upside (is a little more raw than McMillan). Odunze runs crisp routes but also has above-average athleticism and once he’s polished he’ll be a legit home-run hitter when he gets on the field.

Will this be Adams’ Johnson and Houshmandzadeh?  

These two are legit, elite players who could very well be the second-coming of that tandem. Factor in Racanelli who is the swiss-army knife of the 2020 group.

With the halfway point of the season for the 2019 Huskies, fans are all wondering if Jacob Eason will be back for one more. We talked to one NFL scout who pointed out that, even though he has a cannon of an arm, he’ll need one more season to get the big money.

This scout believes wholeheartedly that Eason will be back.

Washington stands to have one of the most prolific offenses in the country next year and going forward with the QB room they currently have and the addition of Ethan Garbers and Sam Huard. 

That’s just sick.

The future is bright for the Husky receiving group of 2020 — and with Adams at the helm of the recruiting effort, it’s just going to get brighter.