Stepping up: 8 players who could raise Washington's ceiling in 2024

Rather than focus on established stars, let's look at less-heralded players who could step up.

You already know that players like Will Rogers, Denzel Boston, Jonah Coleman, Carson Bruener and Ephesians Prysock will likely be integral to whatever success the Washington Huskies realize in 2024 (even if Boston still has some emerging to do himself).

Each season, though, there is a group of lesser-heralded players — such as veterans who make significant contributions for the first time, or freshmen who make the depth chart — who might account for the difference between a so-so team and a pretty good one.

With preseason practices quickly approaching, here are eight players who could improve the Huskies’ fortunes by producing in 2024.

EDGE Maurice Heims

Before he sustained an apparently minor injury this spring, Heims was regularly taking reps with the No. 1 defense opposite Zach Durfee. He’s listed now at 6-foot-5 and 263 pounds, which is prototypical size for the position. But Heims enters his fourth-year junior season with precious little college experience, at least on defense. He saw 62 snaps in 10 games last year, per Pro Football Focus, after playing 29 snaps in 2022. So far, his most memorable moments were a huge hit on kick coverage against Boise State last season, and his one career sack against Colorado as a redshirt freshman. There is a lot of competition at edge rusher, but no established stars. If Heims can harness his size and athleticism, he could boost UW’s pass rush and become a regular contributor for the first time.

DL Jacob Bandes

Similar to edge rusher, the Huskies’ interior d-line is deep with available bodies, but not with proven college starters, save for Montana State transfer Sebastian Valdez. Bandes, a sixth-year senior, was among the most sought-after signees in UW’s 2019 recruiting class, but so far has contributed only as a rotational player. His 323 snaps last season were fourth-most among UW’s interior d-linemen, but the most among those who return in 2024. The Huskies need someone to step up as a complement to Valdez. It would be ideal if Bandes could be that guy in his final year of eligibility.

OL Gaard Memmelaar

A fifth-year junior, Memmelaar should be returning from injury as a full participant once the Huskies begin practicing next month. Memmelaar’s season-ending injury prevented him from a likely contributing role, as he had been taking No. 2 reps at guard before getting hurt (and the Huskies wound up battling some injuries to their interior o-line during the season). There is going to be competition for the two starting guard jobs, particularly with Ohio State transfer Enokk Vimahi joining the program, but Memmelaar has been biding his time and should finally be in position to make a run at serious playing time.

TE Ryan Otton

Adding Nevada transfer Keleki Latu certainly helps the depth at tight end, but Latu and Quentin Moore are still the only players at the position who have seen real playing time in college. Otton battled injuries during his first two college seasons and has logged only four college snaps as a result. But he’s still an intriguing athlete at a listed 6-6 and 257 pounds, and the opportunity is there to at least become part of the tight-end rotation this year. A healthy, contributing Otton would change the complexion of that room, and would give the Huskies something to count on heading into 2025.

OL Maximus McCree

I highlighted redshirt freshman left tackle Soane Faasolo on my list of most important players, so I’ll focus on McCree here. It’s interesting that UW’s roster lists him at 6-6 and 272 pounds — if accurate, that’s awfully light for a Big Ten left tackle (though he might still be at a different Big Ten school if not for unforeseen circumstances). But there might not be another incoming transfer who can do more to elevate the ceiling of his given position group. If McCree not only wins the job at left tackle but proves to be relatively adept at protecting Will Rogers’ blindside, that would really change the picture for UW’s offensive line.

CB Thaddeus Dixon

Maybe he’s sort of interchangeable with Elijah Jackson in this context, because whoever starts opposite Prysock at corner is going to have some impact on what kind of defense the Huskies wind up having. But Dixon has always struck me as a playmaker, from his attitude to his knack for being around the ball, and if he takes the next step toward being a lockdown corner, it’s going to be difficult to keep him off the field. If nothing else, he could also help out as the sixth DB, as he often did last season. But if he’s even better than that — and/or if he excels enough during preseason camp to earn a starting job — it could mean good things for UW’s secondary.

RB Adam Mohammed

There is a version of Washington’s 2024 season in which Coleman and Cam Davis take the bulk of the carries, look great, and leave little need for UW to rely on a true freshman like Mohammed. There also is a version in which Mohammed, a standout this spring as an early enrollee, continues to impress during practices and makes the Huskies better. We’ll find out soon enough what he looks like in an actual game, but just watching him this spring, it’s hard to imagine why more schools didn’t recruit him out of Glendale (Ariz.) Apollo. UW’s updated roster lists him at 6-foot and 212 pounds — position coach Scottie Graham said this spring that “when he gets to 220, it’s going to be lunch money” — and he looks it. Running back is a physical position, so depth is paramount. If Mohammed continues the trajectory he established in the spring, he should have a chance to play meaningfully as a first-year player.

DL Armon Parker

This is something of a wildcard pick, because I don’t have a great read on exactly where Parker stands on the depth chart; he’s battled injury during his brief career and sat out spring practices while recovering. His twin brother, Jayvon, was a rotational player last year and should contribute again in 2024. But I keep thinking about how excited the former coaches were about Armon’s potential — he’s a little bigger, at 6-3 and 312 pounds, compared to Jayvon at 6-3, 297 — and what he could add to the room if he can get (and stay) healthy. I’m interested to see what kind of reps he gets this August, assuming he’s fully available.

— Christian Caple, On Montlake