What are the chances we land this kid????

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D-train
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What are the chances we land this kid????

Post by D-train » Sat Jun 05, 2021 5:14 pm

J.T. Tuimoloau is taking an official visit to UW this weekend. But can the Huskies keep the top recruit in the country home?
June 4, 2021 at 2:40 pm Updated June 4, 2021 at 5:14 pm
Eastside Catholic defensive end Jaylahn “J.T.” Tuimoloau lines up before the Crusaders take on the O’Dea Fighting Irish in Sammamish, March 5, 2021. (Bettina Hansen / The Seattle Times, file)
Eastside Catholic defensive end Jaylahn “J.T.” Tuimoloau lines up before the Crusaders take on the O’Dea Fighting Irish in Sammamish, March 5, 2021. (Bettina Hansen / The Seattle Times, file)
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Mike Vorel By Mike Vorel
Seattle Times staff reporter
At 9:40 a.m. on Friday, Jimmy Lake tweeted, “Big Weekend about to start at #UDUB #BowDown !!!”

Because of NCAA recruiting rules, Lake isn’t allowed to flatly state that it’s a big weekend because J.T. Tuimoloau — the top prospect nationally in the 2021 class — is on campus for the first of five official visits.

But rest assured, that’s the reason.


A 6-foot-5, 277-pound Eastside Catholic defensive lineman, Tuimoloau opted not to sign both in December and February in order to take official visits this summer. After digesting UW’s pitch this weekend, he’s planning to hit USC June 14-16, Ohio State June 18-20, Oregon June 20-22 and Alabama June 25-27, according to 247Sports. He’ll then enroll at the school of his choice this summer.

The longest recruiting dead period in college football history — which began on March 13, 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic essentially suspended sports — officially ended on June 1, allowing for campus visits for the first time in more than a year.

And while it was long assumed Tuimoloau would eventually settle at Ohio State, same as five-star Steilacoom wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, Tuimoloau’s prolonged recruitment could conceivably pay dividends for the hometown Huskies.

Besides the obvious proximity to family, UW can also offer a more immediate path to playing time. While it’s unclear whether Tuimoloau would ultimately fit at defensive tackle or outside linebacker, the Huskies’ top pass-rusher — redshirt junior Zion Tupuola-Fetui — will miss most or all of the coming season with a torn Achilles tendon. Another assumed starter, Laiatu Latu, was forced to medically retire due to a neck injury.

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Plus, Washington can also offer opportunities outside of Husky Stadium. Last May, Mike Hopkins offered Tuimoloau — a dual-sport athlete at Eastside Catholic — a Husky hoops scholarship, paving the way for the versatile athlete to potentially play both sports on the Pac-12 level.

Of course, UW still can’t be considered the favorite to land Tuimoloau’s considerable talents. But his addition would bolster a relatively underwhelming 2021 signing class that currently ranks 36th nationally and sixth in the Pac-12 by the 247Sports Composite. While UW did add a bevy of significant in-state recruits — including five-star quarterback Sam Huard, four-star offensive lineman Owen Prentice, four-star wide receiver Jabez Tinae and four-star linebacker Will Latu — it missed on Egbuka as well as four-star linebacker Julien Simon (USC) and four-star wide receiver Junior Alexander (ASU).

That class — which, due to UW’s limited offseason departures, totaled just 15 signees — featured three defensive lineman (Kuao Peihopa, Voi Tunuufi and Siaosi Finau) and one outside linebacker (Maurice Heims).

But, should he stay home, Tuimoloau’s presence would drastically flip the perception of Lake’s first full signing class.

As for what he has planned this weekend, Lake provided a sneak peek on Friday afternoon — tweeting several videos from a plane flying above the Space Needle and Husky Stadium. Tuimoloau, it seems, is worth the extra effort.

And for Washington, he’d also be worth the wait.
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D-train
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Re: What are the chances we land this kid????

Post by D-train » Sat Jun 05, 2021 5:18 pm

As the #1 overall recruit does it really matter what Power 5 school he goes to? If he plays well it is not like NFL scouts won't be able to find him in Seattle. With us he can stay home, be a local hero and play right away. Why would he want to spend 3 years of his life in Alafuckingbama or Columbus, OH. I live there for 3 months and that old decrepit flat shithole made it seem like 3 years. Other option is the Ducks and if he does that he pisses off the vast majority of Western WA.
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Re: What are the chances we land this kid????

Post by Hasslecracked » Sun Jun 06, 2021 3:59 pm

Unfortunately he's as good as gone. Lake is terrible at recruiting.

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D-train
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Re: What are the chances we land this kid????

Post by D-train » Mon Jun 07, 2021 2:47 pm

Yeah this is pretty weak.
But his addition would bolster a relatively underwhelming 2021 signing class that currently ranks 36th nationally and sixth in the Pac-12
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Re: What are the chances we land this kid????

Post by Walla Walla Dawg II » Mon Jun 07, 2021 5:52 pm

I honestly don't know. The benefits of him coming to the UW are plenty.
1. Immediate playing time
2. Not many to beat out for his position as compared to Bama and OSU
3. Local hero

Why would he want to go to Alabama or Ohio and have to beat out (a minimum of 4-5) 4-5-star recruits to get playing time. What are the odds that a 5-star (freshman) could beat out a 5-star (sophomore) or 4-star (junior).

I don't know if he will come or not (worried he wont), but I'd like to think he will because of the benefits above.

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D-train
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Re: What are the chances we land this kid????

Post by D-train » Mon Jun 07, 2021 6:37 pm

I am a big fish in a smaller pond type a guy. At UW he is a great white shark. At OSU or Alabama he is a minnow in the Pacific Ocean.

At Oregon he is just another Asshole Duck paddling around in a Green Sewage reservoir....
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Re: What are the chances we land this kid????

Post by Walla Walla Dawg II » Mon Jun 07, 2021 7:28 pm

D-train wrote:
Mon Jun 07, 2021 6:37 pm
I am a big fish in a smaller pond type a guy. At UW he is a great white shark. At OSU or Alabama he is a minnow in the Pacific Ocean.

At Oregon he is just another Asshole Duck paddling around in a Green Sewage reservoir....
If there was a "clapping" applet, I would have used it.

Michael K.
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Re: What are the chances we land this kid????

Post by Michael K. » Wed Jun 09, 2021 7:11 pm

D-train wrote:
Mon Jun 07, 2021 6:37 pm
I am a big fish in a smaller pond type a guy. At UW he is a great white shark. At OSU or Alabama he is a minnow in the Pacific Ocean.

At Oregon he is just another Asshole Duck paddling around in a Green Sewage reservoir....
If I was a D Lineman the last place in the Country I would want to play is here. They will play a 2 man front and then bitch at those two because they can't stop the run.

Captain 97
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Re: What are the chances we land this kid????

Post by Captain 97 » Wed Jun 09, 2021 10:52 pm

Someone needs to send this link to the kid. Washington gets top recruits to the NFL better than most programs.

https://247sports.com/LongFormArticle/C ... 66233526_1

IStillLoveTheMs
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Re: What are the chances we land this kid????

Post by IStillLoveTheMs » Fri Jun 11, 2021 5:22 am

Here's the story:

UW for some reason has really struggled getting recruits from Eastside Catholic. Apparently the coach at Eastside really isn't a fan of the Pete/Lake program... has something to do w. the program not offering some of the talent they've put out. They failed to land Gee Scott and Ayden Hector and didn't off 4-star TE DJ Rogers... they did however get RB Sam Adams, but it was a very late commit last year and he was rumored to be headed anywhere but UW for a while.

Ohio St. has been the rumored favorite for a long time.

He's good friends w. Gee Scott Jr. and Scott/his father had tussle w. UW because coach Pete apparently told Scott Jr. that he wasn't an OKG and UW didn't offer him until very late. Scott Jr. ended up at Ohio St. where he hasn't really played and just made the transition to TE in his JR year (one might think that would sound the alarm bells). However, JT has to like that OSU churns out the cream of the crop DE talent in the NFL w. the Bosa bros and Chase Young of late... plus they're always in the title hunt.

JT is also good friends with Julien Simon who committed to USC over UW to play linebacker for the Trojans. One would think a recruit would be nuts to go to USC these days, cause it's where talent goes to die, but who knows... he's still visiting and USC has been known to pull some cheap financial crap to land recruits (hiring Marlon T's father to the coaching staff so he would de-commit from UW a few years back).

Alabama is Alabama... apparently they're making a hard push to get him and it's sort of hard to say no to this program.

Hearing Oregon doesn't stand a chance (praying this is true).

Now to UW... I think JT would be more sold on UW if Pete were still the coach. While Jimmy had an above average 1st year as a head coach, I'm sure there's still a lot of question marks surrounding him and where the program is headed. That can be scary for a recruit to commit to a head coach where the program isn't necessarily established. That said, UW has not had issues pumping out NFL defensive line talent, and the coaching that developed these kids still remains. UW has also had no issues getting players drafted high - UW players are seemingly held at high esteem in the draft w. Joe Tryon ad Levi O. going in the 1st and 2nd rounds despite being sorta fringe talents on the UW line. That can't hurt... UW also offered him in basketball, and I don't think they'd be opposed to him playing a little tight end (he's a freak) because he and Sam Huard were basically unstoppable in 7 on 7's as teammates.

I think ZTF going down w. the achilles injury may have helped out the cause. With that injury, he'll get the chance to play early and often and he should feel NEEDED in our recruiting pitch... we're incredibly light at DE and are still in serious need of depth, let alone a talent like JT. OSU, Bama have about a billion 4 and 5 star DE's recruited in the last 3 cycles... UW does not and if I'm a recruit I'm going where I can get on the field *cough* Ale Kaho *cough* because you can't impress people from the bench.

I tend to trust Brandon Huffman over anyone else when it comes to recruiting in the state of WA. He recently said he thinks the idea of OSU being in the lead is overhyped and that UW hit a "grand slam" in their visit with JT. JT's family has to like the idea of him staying local so they can watch him play - hoping that has an impact in his decision. UW fans show him love all day every day on Twitter and he's gotta be well aware of that connection.

I think we've got a shot... much more so than a year ago.

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