UW’s 2022 class lacks size but not quality, according to new Huskies coach Kalen DeBoer

According to Kalen DeBoer, it’s not the size of the class.

It’s the quality.

And yet, aesthetically speaking, the size of UW’s 2022 signing class — at least, so far — would seemingly warrant significant concern. Following the firing of second-year head coach Jimmy Lake and hire of Fresno State’s DeBoer last month, the Huskies received national letters of intent from just five verbal commits on Wednesday’s early national signing day — four-star wide receiver Germie Bernard, four-star tight end Ryan Otton, three-star offensive lineman Parker Brailsford, three-star wide receiver Denzel Boston and three-star outside linebacker Lance Holtzclaw.

(Additionally, four-star running back Emeka Megwa — who originally resided in the Huskies’ 2022 class — reclassified, signed with Washington and enrolled as a true freshman this fall. And UC Davis FCS All-American cornerback Jordan Perryman announced a commitment to UW on Wednesday as well.)

Five signees is undeniably underwhelming — as is the fact that UW’s current class is ranked 10^th in the Pac-12 and 84^th in the nation by the 247Sports Composite.

But DeBoer also emphasized Wednesday that Washington’s 2022 class was purposely, inescapably small, due to the microscopic number of outgoing seniors. With less than two months until the February signing period, DeBoer estimated that the class would top out at roughly 15 signees — including transfer portal additions “in the next couple days to the next upcoming week.”

So sure, the number of signees is noticeable.

But according to DeBoer, at least, UW fans will notice what those signees do on Saturdays even more.

“It’s exciting. It’s growth,” he said. “That’s what it’s all about — every day getting better, and today we got a lot better. There’s no question.”

Bernard — a 6-foot-2, 195-pound wide receiver — was recently named the 2021-22 Gatorade Nevada Football Player of the Year, after registering 53 catches for 956 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns at Liberty High School. Bernard added 452 rushing yards, four rushing touchdowns, three punt return touchdowns, one kick return touchdown and one interception return touchdown as well.

Bernard — who DeBoer called “just a very dynamic player, really special — is ranked as a four-star prospect, the No. 5 player in the state of Nevada and the No. 37 wide receiver in the 2022 class by 247Sports. Besides Washington, he received scholarship offers from Arizona State, Hawaii, Miami, Michigan, Nebraska, Oregon, Penn State, Utah and more.

But, besides his relationship with wide receivers coach Junior Adams, DeBoer’s offense may have kept Bernard connected and committed.

“His talent and his energy that he’s going to bring, just because he’s so comfortable and so familiar with this program already, it’s really exciting,” DeBoer said. “Him seeing what we’re going to do offensively got him even more motivated and excited to be part of it.”

But, when it comes to comfort and familiarity with the program, few can top Otton — the younger brother of departing junior tight end Cade Otton, who recently declared for the 2022 NFL draft. Ryan — a 6-6, 224-pound tight end from Tumwater — is ranked by 247Sports as a four-star recruit, the No. 3 player in the state of Washington, the No. 9 tight end in the country and the No. 235 overall prospect in the 2022 class.

And soon, he’ll receive an opportunity to step out of a significant shadow.

“I think everyone understands that Cade (Otton) being here, he just had an amazing career and is an amazing football player,” DeBoer said. “I think with Ryan, you’re going to see him make a name for himself. He has never said that. But I think just in the way he goes about things, that’s a big deal. Just because of the ability he has and the type of person he is, the character he has, you’re going to see exactly that.”

The 6-foot-2, 255-pound Brailsford hails from Arizona prep powerhouse Saguaro High School — which DeBoer called “a great, great, top-tier program” — and is ranked as a three-star recruit, the No. 6 player in his state and the No. 29 interior offensive lineman in the 2022 class. He also received scholarship offers from Arizona, Boise State, BYU, Colorado, Kansas State, Michigan State, Oregon State, USC and others.

But despite the current lack of an offensive line coach, Brailsford’s commitment never wavered.

“He’s really smart,” DeBoer said. “You can see it in the way he plays. You can hear it in the way he talks. He’s athletic. When you watch his film, you’re going to see him finishing — going to the whistle.

“He finishes and guys are on their back over and over and over. He’s got that nastiness in him that you really want in an offensive lineman.”

And Boston has the size you want in a wide receiver. A red zone target from Emerald Ridge High School, he’s ranked as a three-star recruit and the No. 17 player in the state of Washington by 247Sports. The 6-3, 191-pounder also earned offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Nevada and others.

But realistically, he was never leaving the evergreen state.

“He just really wanted to stay local. And when I saw the film, I wanted him to stay local, too,” DeBoer said with a laugh. “There was no question that he just has a long frame. The catch radius is enormous. He’s been so consistent from year to year, and I’m fired up about him.”

Holtzclaw — a three-star outside linebacker and UW’s lone defensive signee — inked with Washington despite the program’s noted lack of a defensive coordinator. The 6-4, 201-pound pass-rusher from Mesa, Ariz., originally intended to wait for the February signing period and feel things out.

But that’s before he met with DeBoer.

“It was middle of last week before I got the chance to get in front of him,” DeBoer said. “That’s hard. You don’t know what’s going to happen, and then finally a coach gets announced. And then still that coach is working on other things and finally gets a chance to be with you. You can FaceTime and talk on the phone as much as you want, but I think in his mind at that point (waiting to sign) was probably what he was going to do.

“We just stayed the course and kept talking, kept having conversations. The more you do that the more they understand, ‘Hey, this is the right place to be.'”

In the next month and a half, DeBoer certainly hopes other recruits — specifically linebackers, corners, maybe even a quarterback — reach a similar conclusion.

But first, he has to solidify his coaching staff — which he said “will be happening fast here. It will probably be in a couple of different waves the next couple days. It shouldn’t be much longer.”

DeBoer confirmed on Wednesday that further roster attrition is coming as well.

Come September, the Huskies won’t look the same. But, aesthetics aside, DeBoer believes the quality is there.

“I don’t feel like we’re in a desperate position,” he said. “I feel like that’s part of recruiting; that’s part of building a program. Every single year you have guys graduate and you’ve got to keep building it. There’s guys in this program that are going to step up. This spring — I’m not saying it’s going to be a surprise — but (guys have to be) ready to go. It’s their time.”