Kirkland says it was his dream to play for Washington.
Jaxson Kirkland, a three-star offensive lineman from Portland’s Jesuit High School, made a commitment to the Washington Huskies late Monday night, likely rounding out another top-25 recruiting class ahead of Wednesday’s National Signing Day.
The 6-foot-7, 304-pound Kirkland last week backed away from a previous commitment to UCLA. He chose the Huskies over Oregon.
Kirkland is the son of Dean Kirkland, a captain and starting guard on the Huskies’ 1990 Pac-10 championship team that defeated Iowa in the Rose Bowl.
“It’s a dream offer — growing up I was a die-hard fan,” Kirkland told The Oregonian. “It’s a dream offer, and I was really pumped about that one. It was awesome.”
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Washington offered Kirkland a scholarship earlier this month after missing out on Graham-Kapowsin five-star offensive lineman Foster Sarell, who committed to Stanford earlier this month.
Kirkland’s commitment gives the Huskies three offensive linemen in this class, joining Skyline High tackle Henry Bainivalu, a Scout.com four-star recruit, and Cole Norgaard, a three-star tackle out of St. Mary’s High in Stockton, Calif.
Kirkland is expected to be the final addition to the Huskies’ class, which now have 17 known recruits. Scout ranks UW’s class 23rd nationally.
Two uncommitted offensive linemen have listed the Huskies among their final school options, but five-star tackle Austin Jackson from Phoenix and three-star tackle Nick Ford out of San Pedro, Calif., are expected to sign elsewhere on Wednesday.
The Huskies have also picked up a commitment from a left-footed kicker, Peyton Henry, who is rated a five-star prospect by Kohl’s kicking camp. Henry accepted a preferred walk-on offer from Washington. At Monte Vista High in Danville, Calif., Henry was a teammate of UW quarterback recruit Jake Haener.
UW Class of 2017
The Huskies have received verbal commitments from 16 known recruits. Wednesday is the first day recruits can sign a National Letter of Intent.
Salvon Ahmed, ATH, 6-0, 186, Juanita HS
Henry Bainivalu, OL, 6-6, 295, Skyline HS, Sammamish
Hunter Bryant, TE, 6-3, 240, Eastside Catholic HS, Sammamish
Terrell Bynum, WR, 6-1, 177, St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif.
Alex Cook, WR, 6-2, 180, Sheldon HS, Sacramento
Ali Gaye, DE, 6-6, 260, Edmonds-Woodway HS, Edmonds
Jake Haener, QB, 6-1, 188, Monte Vista HS, Danville, Calif.
Ty Jones, WR, 6-4, 200, Provo HS, Provo, Utah
Brandon McKinney, S, 6-0, 180, Lutheran HS, Orange, Calif.
Elijah Molden, CB, 5-11, 185, West Linn HS, West Linn, Ore.
Ariel Ngata, LB, 6-4, 210, Folsom HS, Folsom, Calif.
Cole Norgaard, OL, 6-5, 271, St. Mary’s HS, Stockton, Calif.
Cade Otton, LB, 6-5, 223, Tumwater HS, Tumwater
Keith Taylor, CB, 6-2, 180, Servite HS, Anaheim, Calif.
Joe Tryon, LB, 6-5, 240, Hazen HS, Renton
Joel Whitford*, P, 6-3, 200, Santa Barbara (Calif.) JC; Neerim South, Victoria, Australia
*Already signed and enrolled at UW