In what seems like a giant sigh of relief to Husky fans, Kalen DeBoer and his staff extended an offer to one of the top players in the state of Washington, four-star quarterback Gabarri Johnson. Johnson, who currently attends Lincoln (Tacoma) High School, along with five-star DE target Jayden Wayne, is ranked as the fourth overall player in state, and in the top 200 nationally. He’s only the second quarterback to receive an offer from Washington for the 2023 cycle, the other being Pittsburg (Calif.) Jaden Rashada, who’s ranked in the top 50 nationally.

Johnson received a lot of support from fans, coaches, and other Husky targets. Kalen DeBoer needs to make sure he builds the best relationships he possibly can with local high schools and private coaches alike. He seems to be in good standing with Johnson’s 7on7 coach Tracy Ford after offering the local quarterback.

A few noteworthy targets also offered their support for Johnson, including 2022 five-star offensive tackle Josh Conerly, and 2023 four-star cornerback Caleb Presley.

Johnson now holds eight offers, including Arkansas, Oregon, Utah, and Arizona State. With the Elite11 and other national camps coming up, Johnson has a chance to blow up on the national scene if he impresses at these camps and on the 7on7 circuit.

With the Johnson offer, Washington has now offered the top eight players in the state of Washington. DeBoer emphasized “building a fence” around the state in his opening press conference, and this is a great way to do it. The coaching staff has hit the road hard and has visited a lot of local schools over the last week.

The next step is building relationships with the local 7on7 programs. Oregon and Oregon State have both been seen visiting Ford Sports Performance and Heir Football Academy over the last few weeks, now it’s Washington’s turn. Building a good relationship with the local high schools is a great way to get in good with recruits, but in the modern age of recruiting, players spend just as much time with their 7on7 coaches, so the staff needs to make sure they spend time getting to know Tracy Ford (FSP) and Reggie Jones (Heir) as well.