Washington and Washington State are set for the most important Apple Cup in a long, long, long time...It's fitting we've got our latest Dawg Bites that will have lasting recruiting implications...
*** 2017 five-star Redlands (Calif.) East Valley defensive end
Jaelan Phillips [UCLA commit] -- Washington has continued to pursue the Bruins most prized recruit throughout the 2016 season and it's starting to pay off. Prior to commit to UCLA in the spring, Phillips heavily considered Washington and made multiple unofficial visits.
UW running backs coach and recruiting coordinator
Keith Bhonapha, who also serves as the area recruiter for the Inland Empire, has built a strong relationship with Phillips and as we've previously reported it could payoff with an official visit. Phillips is a prospect Washington certainly wants to get on campus for an official visit - likely January - but won't push for one until he is absolutely ready.
The Huskies are in a phenomenal position for Phillips, given the Bruins fall in the Pac-12 and potential for Jim Mora Jr. to be fired. However, it might become too much of a luxury for the Huskies to find room with only two scholarships remaining and one being held for player "X" and one for an offensive lineman. Ideally, Washington takes two OL and that's it. But Phillips is one to keep an eye on moving forward.
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Offensive Line Recruiting -- Washington landed its first offensive line commit for the class of 2017 in Henry Bainivalu last weekend. However, UW offensive line coach Chris Strausser prefers to have an equal balance of players leaving and players coming in, which means three OL for this class. However it could be negotiated down to two spots if the right second OL were good enough.
UW is currently working on a securing an official visit from a 5-star offensive tackle that is not named Foster Sarell. The Huskies have been able to keep the prospects name off the radar for a while, due in large part to the prospect himself not doing many recruiting updates. However, I have been able to confirm that the official visit would take place in January and likely become a visit and commit situation. However, Sarell himself is hoping to commit between December and January, leaving one scholarship open with Washington also looking at D.J. Johnson, a current Miami commit, along with several other four-star prospects. It becomes a selection choice for Petersen and Co. when all is said and done, but the Huskies are looking to be serious contenders for two, five-star OL in 2017.
*** 2017 four-star Fontana (Calif.) Summit running back
Stephen Carr [USC commit] -- Here is another recruit that would be filed into the luxury category for Washington, barring an unexpected injury to a current running back. However, a source confirmed to Rivals on Sunday that the No. 31 overall prospect will take an official visit to Washington after the season.
No date has been set but Carr is also considering official visits to UCLA, Arizona, Nebraska and then Michigan or Nebraska for the fifth official visit.
*** 2018 four-star Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco cornerback
Jaiden Woodbey -- The Nations No.38 overall prospect recently took an unofficial visit to Washington and despite USC defeated the Huskies, the home team appears to have become the favorite.
Woodbey was sold on the Business school and the future that UW defensive backs coach Jimmy Lake painted for him, with Lake being his coach and not leaving for another higher paid coaching gig elsewhere. He's worn a lot of UW gear to Bosco over the past couple of weeks and his visit to Montlake has certainly resonated well, and he could become the second 2018 commit in the next month or two.
