30 Day Countdown, Day 13: Who will be the first Husky selected in the ‘25 NFL Draft? (2024)

It’s no secret that the 2023 Washington Huskies football team was an all-time success story for putting Dawgs in the NFL. A total of 10 Huskies were drafted, including 7 in the first three rounds, and Michael Penix, Rome Odunze, and Troy Fautanu all in Round 1. It’s unlikely that this year’s edition of the team will have anywhere near that kind of NFL Draft production, but there is some talent on the roster that will play on Sundays. Who are the likely options for the first Dawgs off the board next spring?

Ephesians Prysock, CB

Prysock is a Junior transfer from Arizona. He already had a notably successful season with the Wildcats and earned Pac-12 All-Conference Honorable Mention in ‘23. Also working in Prysock’s favor are his physical dimensions. At 64” and 190 lbs., he has the height to compete with even the most physically gifted pro wide-outs. Prysock has a good pedigree, as well, with a four-star rating in high school and offers from Ohio State, Florida, LSU, Michigan, and other heavyweights. There’s certainly no guarantee that Prysock will come out after this year, but if he continues to build momentum and has two great collegiate seasons under his belt, it’s very possible to envision him as a mid-round pick due to his size.

Alfonzo Tuputala, LB

Tuputala offers many of the opposite attributes as Prysock. He was a lightly-recruited player out of high school. Other than UW, his best offers were from Nevada and Air Force. He has gradually developed over his UW career and added solid pass coverage to his ability to stuff the run at the line. With inconsistent D-line play in front of him, Tuputala has had to do more cleanup work through his career, which doesn’t always make a LB look his best. At 6’2”, 240 lbs., he has prototypical size for a pro LB. He won’t be an early draft pick, but his eligibility is up this year, he has improved throughout his career, and he has the size and athleticism to play in the pros. He is a safe bet to at least make it to the NFL if there aren’t other Huskies drafted early.

Enokk Vimahi, G

The Ohio State transfer has not played much in his college career to date. Picking him would be a bet on his physical tools. UW heavily pursued him as a transfer to start in his last season of eligibility. At 6’4” and over 300 lbs., a stand-out season could definitely find him on draft boards. He was viewed as a future mid-round pick coming out of high school. Scouts only need to be reminded of that rather than convinced of his potential.

Kamren Fabiculanan, S

Photo by Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

KamFab was a standout last year as a rotational player on the back end of the defense. This year, he is penciled in as a full-time starter at safety and will have the chance to make a leap in performance. Like Prysock, he has good height (6’1”) and a four-star recruiting pedigree. While he hasn’t had the opportunity to do it over a full season’s snaps, he has shown the ability to lay a big hit and some nice ball skills. He’s not a burner and has a rather slight build, so he probably won’t put up the sort of combine numbers that would vault him into the early rounds. Still, he is another good bet to get drafted at some point.

Honorable Mention

Giles Jackson may put up better numbers with a bigger role in the offense and a QB who focuses more on shorter timing throws. Size will remain a limiting factor, though... Jeremiah Hunter has the size that Jackson lacks, but does not have top-end speed... Running backs are rarely drafted early, but another huge season for Jonah Coleman could definitely turn heads.

Verdict

I think the Husky defense will do a better job of scheming to its strengths this season than last. That change should highlight players with notable strengths. Prysock’s length and coverage ability will be featured, and if he continues to improve his technique to go with his physical ability, I can imagine him playing himself into the neighborhood of the third round. He is my pick.