Washington Huskies

Andrew Kirkland (Portland, Ore./Jesuit) saw a sign.

He was out with his father not long after the 6-foot-4, 287-pound offensive lineman landed an offer from Washington this summer. He saw a pair of Huskies.

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SEATTLE -- After back-to-back weekends featuring a long list of official visitors, Washington only has a pair of prospects coming to campus.

And they don’t have to travel far.

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When Steve Sarkisian was brought in as Washington’s head coach, he had less than two months to put together the Huskies' 2009 recruiting class.

Hired on Dec. 8, Sarkisian went to work piling up prospects. Considering the limited time he had to assemble the group, he did well.

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Find the right kicker and a program only has to fill the position every three or four years.

Get the right guy and it inspires confidence in clutch moments. The right kicker can put points on the board. He can be the difference in big games.

Cameron Van Winkle (Snoqualmie, Wash./Mount Si) is a special prospect. He takes his job seriously. He has invested the time to hone his talent.

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BOTHELL, Wash. -- It was a busy football season for Brett Rypien (Spokane, Wash./Shadle Park).

When the 6-foot-2, 175-pound quarterback wasn’t putting together gaudy performances -- he threw for a state-record 577 yards against Spokane Valley (Wash.) Central Valley -- he was starting to experience the stages of the recruiting process.

Only a sophomore, Rypien has already landed an offer from Washington State, giving him the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of his uncle, former Super Bowl MVP Mark Rypien.

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A program can never have enough running backs. In 2012, depth didn’t seem to be an issue for Washington at that position.

Then Deontae Cooper suffered another knee injury. Then Jesse Callier suffered a knee injury. All of a sudden, Bishop Sankey became the Huskies’ feature back.

Fortunately for the program, he had the talent to be a 1,000-yard rusher. He proved he was ready to play at a high level.

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Team needs: For the 2013 recruiting class, the Huskies tried to add talent throughout their roster. They had specific needs but wanted to bolster strengths as well.

Some of the key areas the Huskies identified as positions to pursue included receiver, running back, linebacker and defensive line. With six defensive linemen committed and three receivers heading to Seattle next season, Washington has stockpiled prospects at each position.

Help is on the way: Washington is pursuing a pass rush. The Huskies have a star in Danny Shelton, but ace recruiter Tosh Lupoi made it a point to bring in top-tier talent along the program’s defensive line.

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SEATTLE -- If there is one question that has come up throughout the 2013 recruiting cycle, it is: “What is going on with Washington’s offensive line class?”

Don’t panic. The Huskies have plenty of young players already in the program. Throw in the pair of prospects currently committed and, even if the program does not add another recruit in 2013, the offensive line will be fine.

Washington is working to land at least one more player at that position, but if the Huskies can avoid the injuries they endured along the line in 2012, they should be able to develop continuity among the starters while developing their young prospects heading into next season.

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Every time John Ross (Long Beach, Calif./Jordan) visited Seattle, he enjoyed the trip.

Whether it was for Washington’s Rising Stars Camp or an unofficial visit early in the season, the 5-foot-9, 170-pound receiver had nothing but good things to say about the Huskies.

He had former teammates already in the program. He had a cousin -- ESPN Watch List receiver Rahshead Johnson -- already committed to Washington’s 2014 class. He had the opportunity to play for a program that offered everything he was looking for.

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According to multiple sources, Washington landed a verbal commitment from senior point guard Jahmel Taylor (Los Angeles/Pacific Hills) on Monday night.

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Top five who never were

QB Nick Montana
Class: 2010
Rated a four-star prospect coming out of high school, Montana was rated the No. 13 passer in the nation. The son of three-time Super Bowl MVP Joe Montana, Nick didn’t last long at Washington, transferring after his redshirt freshman season.

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Top five sleepers

RB Bishop Sankey
Class: 2011
If there were any doubts about Sankey’s ability, he quieted his critics during his sophomore season. Pressed into a starting role because of injuries, Sankey flourished, rushing for 1,439 yards and 16 touchdowns.

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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- The 2013 Spalding Hoophall Classic saved the best for last as the final day of action on Monday included entertaining matchups from start to finish.

A sold-out gym watched some of the nation’s top prospects show out one after another, including huge showings from Jabari Parker, Aaron Gordon and Nigel Williams-Goss, who nailed a game-winning 3 to give No. 2 Findlay Prep (Nev.) a comeback win over No. 1 Montverde Academy (Fla.) in a highly anticipated matchup of the nation’s top two teams.

Here were the best performances from Monday’s games at the Hoophall Classic.

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After spending the weekend on an official visit to UCLA, Myles Jack (Bellevue, Wash./Bellevue) was reminded of “why I chose the school.”

The 6-foot-2, 230-pound linebacker’s experience during the trip was exactly what he hoped it would be when he gave the program a verbal commitment last June.

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