It's been a hectic last week but we've got a handful of important notes for Sunday night's Dawg Bites, that might clear up several recruiting questions surrounding Washington's 2017 recruiting class.
*** 2017 three-star Provo (UT) wide receiver
Ty Jones [Washington commit] -- I was able to confirm that Jones did in fact take an official visit to Utah this weekend. Washington is aware of the visit and there doesn't appear to be too much concern, if any, on the Huskies end with his visit. Wide receivers coach Bush Hamdan made an in-home visit with Jones last Thursday prior to his visit to Utah and the two still appear on track for him to enroll at UW.
"It was a very positive experience and we always love Coach Hamdan on our campus. He is always very positive and represents the U of W very well. We are excited for Ty and his future at the U of W," said Clayton Hall, Jones' coach at Provo. "Ty is graduating early from Provo High and is going to start classes at the U of W in January. I believe he will be attending Spring ball with the aspirations if playing next season."
Washington has been firm on the three receivers they're taking this season: Alex Cook, Terrell Bynum and Jones. Jones did commit before making an unofficial visit and since that visit all has been good on the UW front. It doesn't help that he's taking a late visit but it does help that Hamdan got in for an in-home visit before hand and everything appears on track for Jones to enroll at Washington.
*** 2017 four-star Sumner (Wash.) running back
Connor Wedington [uncommitted] -- This situation has been building for a while but there wasn't confirmation on the Wedington front until he received his acceptance late last week to Stanford. While Washington was able to hold off Stanford [and others] for Molden and others this is different.
During the summer and even this fall Washington has been working to set up official visits with other running backs including four-star USC commit
Stephen Carr. Carr is expected to visit Washington in January, but the Huskies have the luxury of simply moving Salvon Ahmed, a four-star athlete, over to running back and solve the problem that way.
UW has only offered four running backs this class: Wedington, Carr,
Kennedy Brooks [Oklahoma commit] and
Najee Harris [Alabama commit]. Do not expect UW to flip Harris or Brooks from Oklahoma, but Carr is one to watch along with a simple move for Ahmed.
Washington also has depth at running back with Gaskin just a sophomore,
Sean McGrew and
Kamari Pleasant both redshirting this season and other players able to play both ways if need be. But the expectation is for Wedington to commit to Stanford but it will be a situation to monitor the final month following the dead period.
*** 2017 three-star Portland (Ore.) Westview defensive tackle
Brandon Pili -- Sources indicated to TDR that there are still no spots available for the Huskies 2017 class to offer the rising PNW prospect. Washington is focusing primarily on the prospects already committed and making sure they stick.
As we reported already
Marlon Tuipulotu is set to enroll in the spring and his recruitment has been shut down for a while. Washington is still working on
Jay Tufele out of Utah but it appears the class is set with
Jordan Lolohea being a mission prospect and not counting against the 2017 class. Even with schools like Notre Dame jumping in the mix last week the Huskies appear content with where things stand on the DL front with this class.