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After experiencing a significant amount of turnover on their defensive line following the 2025 season, Jedd Fisch's coaching staff knew it had to reload the unit through the transfer portal, bringing in a trio of defensive tackles, including DeSean Watts from Sacramento State.
During the 2025 season, the 6-foot-2, 320-pound lineman earned First Team All-Big Sky honors, recording 36 tackles, with 4 for loss and 2 sacks, while making 11 starts for the Hornets and recording a 91.4 run defense grade from Pro Football Focus, the highest mark the analytics site gave to any FBS or FCS defender in the category last year.
That background led to ESPN's Billy Tucker naming him as Washington's top newcomer ahead of the 2026 season, where he should be expected to play a big role in the middle of defensive coordinator Ryan Walters' front as the Huskies look to build on a unit that finished the 2025 season at No. 12 in the nation against the run, allowing just 100.08 yards per game.
"Interior disruption and freed up edge rushers," Tucker wrote on what should be expected of Watts in 2026. "One of the nation's premier run defenders, Watts finished the 2025 season with the highest run-defense grade among all FCS interior linemen. What he lacks in ideal size, he makes up for in explosiveness and a great first step, allowing him to be disruptive in one-on-one situations and force double-teams. This should help him generate more negative plays on defense and bolster Washington's already stout run defense. He is fundamentally sound and should require a limited adjustment period, providing an immediate return to a Ryan Walters defense that is on an upward trajectory."
All of those things were on display during Washington's first spring practice, as Watts' stout, wide frame is very hard to miss. If Watts is able to consistently take on double-teams up front, he could open up opportunities for several of his teammates on the interior, including Elinneus Davis, fellow transfer portal acquisition Darin Conley, and freshmen Derek Colman-Brusa and TI Umu-Cais, both of whom took reps with the top two units on Tuesday.
"DeSean is a player who immediately ratchets up the ruggedness, the power, and the physicality of our interior defensive line," Washington's senior director of player personnel Matt Doherty told Tucker.
"His toughness and motor are evident on every snap, and he's one of the strongest tacklers amongst all the interior defenders we evaluated this past cycle. He has the kind of line-of-scrimmage stopping power that is critical to truly competing in this league."
This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: DT DeSean Watts is Washington's top newcomer for the 2026 season
Continue reading...
During the 2025 season, the 6-foot-2, 320-pound lineman earned First Team All-Big Sky honors, recording 36 tackles, with 4 for loss and 2 sacks, while making 11 starts for the Hornets and recording a 91.4 run defense grade from Pro Football Focus, the highest mark the analytics site gave to any FBS or FCS defender in the category last year.
That background led to ESPN's Billy Tucker naming him as Washington's top newcomer ahead of the 2026 season, where he should be expected to play a big role in the middle of defensive coordinator Ryan Walters' front as the Huskies look to build on a unit that finished the 2025 season at No. 12 in the nation against the run, allowing just 100.08 yards per game.
"Interior disruption and freed up edge rushers," Tucker wrote on what should be expected of Watts in 2026. "One of the nation's premier run defenders, Watts finished the 2025 season with the highest run-defense grade among all FCS interior linemen. What he lacks in ideal size, he makes up for in explosiveness and a great first step, allowing him to be disruptive in one-on-one situations and force double-teams. This should help him generate more negative plays on defense and bolster Washington's already stout run defense. He is fundamentally sound and should require a limited adjustment period, providing an immediate return to a Ryan Walters defense that is on an upward trajectory."
All of those things were on display during Washington's first spring practice, as Watts' stout, wide frame is very hard to miss. If Watts is able to consistently take on double-teams up front, he could open up opportunities for several of his teammates on the interior, including Elinneus Davis, fellow transfer portal acquisition Darin Conley, and freshmen Derek Colman-Brusa and TI Umu-Cais, both of whom took reps with the top two units on Tuesday.
"DeSean is a player who immediately ratchets up the ruggedness, the power, and the physicality of our interior defensive line," Washington's senior director of player personnel Matt Doherty told Tucker.
"His toughness and motor are evident on every snap, and he's one of the strongest tacklers amongst all the interior defenders we evaluated this past cycle. He has the kind of line-of-scrimmage stopping power that is critical to truly competing in this league."
This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: DT DeSean Watts is Washington's top newcomer for the 2026 season
Continue reading...
