Jedd Fisch has never been shy with playing true freshman during his coaching career in the pursuit of putting the best players on the field. Bringing in a recruiting class that was top 15 in the country, there is no shortage of talent. So lets take a look at some of the freshman who could make the biggest impact in the 2026 season. The top selection will likely not be a surprise to anyone.
WR Jordan Clay
When Denzel Boston left for the draft the vacuum he left wasn’t just for a top reliable target,
but also a big red zone target as well. The staff brought in transfer Christian Moss from Kennesaw State for a big bodied receiver with college experience, but true freshman Jordan Clay has already shown that he has the ability to contribute early in his Husky career. He already demonstrated his abilities by standing out in spring ball and I think it isn’t a stretch to say he will make an impact this fall as well. Clay goes into fall camp as second string behind Moss, but I think that Clay will continue to establish himself and could see himself in red zone packages often as a big bodied receiver asked to make plays over defenders.
CB Jeron Jones
Washington has recruited CB very well during the Jedd Fisch era so there is a lot of young talent at the position fighting for playing time. Dylan Robinson and transfer Emmanuel Karnley are slated to be the starters, but Jones has quickly established himself during spring ball and is already second string corner and has even gotten third team looks at Nickel. The coaches have been very vocal in their praise of Jones and that should translate to a good amount of playing time.
DL Derek Colman-Brusa
When the Huskies landed DCB, it was cause for celebration. Not only were they landing the top recruit in the state, but an exceptionally talented prospect at a position that arguably needed the most help. Colman-Brusa has shown his commitment to getting on the field early by putting on good weight while maintaining his speed and quickness. He is in deep competition to win the starting job, but even if he were to not win it he will still see a large snap count given how the staff likes to rotate in DL on a regular basis.
OT Kodi Greene
Like I said, it should not come as a surprise that Greene is the true freshman who will make the greatest impact this fall. Other than QB, LT is considered the most important on the field and it is quite rare for a true freshman to come in to a top 25 team and win the job right away. But that is what Greene is, a rare talent. Not only a five-star prospect, but the 6th highest rated recruit to sign with UW in the modern recruiting era. Greene enrolled at UW in January already a well-built 6’6 320 Lbs., so it came down to learning the playbook. He is a true freshman and he will likely have his share of growing pains, but at the end of the day there is no true freshman who will have a greater impact on the team’s success this fall. Husky nation will find out together if it is good or bad, but I have confidence in Greene.
