UW announces signing of seven new additions to defense and special teams.
The Huskies announced the signing of 18 recruits to National Letters Intent on Wednesday. Here are profiles from the eight new additions to UW defense and special teams:
ALI GAYE
Defensive lineman
6-6, 276, Edmonds-Woodway HS, Edmonds
UW bio: Named first-team all-area by the Everett Herald and first-team All-WesCo 3A/2A South as a senior … also made the USA Today All-Washington first team … Warriors went 6-4 and earned a berth in the 3A state playoffs in his senior season in 2016 … credited with 76 tackles, including eight sacks, as a senior … named first-team All-WesCo 3A South as a junior in 2015 … team went 6-4 in 2015 … second-team All-WesCo 3A South on the offensive line as a sophomore in 2014 … also played basketball at E-W … named a “red-chip recruit” by the Seattle Times … rated the nation’s No. 34 strongside defensive end by 247sports.com … rivals.com ranked him the No. 27 strongside end and No. 8 prospect in the state … ESPN.com’s No. 76 defensive end prospect.
Quote: “When he walks in a room, this is what you want your D-linemen to look like.” — Pete Kwiatkowski, UW co-defensive coordinator
JORDAN LOLOHEA
Outside linebacker
6-1, 247, East HS, Salt Lake City
UW bio: Plans to take an LDS mission and enroll at UW in 2019 … First-team 4A all-state in 2016 … attended East High as a senior after having attended West High prior to that … led the Leopards to a 14-0 record and the state’s 4A championship as a senior in 2016 … East out-scored opponents 694 to 240 … credited with 98 tackles and 23 sacks as a senior … 61 tackles as a junior at West High … also played on the varsity at West as a sophomore and freshman … played in the Polynesian Bowl following his senior year … rated as the No. 54 defensive end in the nation by scout.com … listed as the No. 26 strongside DE and No. 10 player in Utah by 247sports.com … rivals.com lists him as the No. 70 athlete recruit in the nation … ESPN.com’s No. 74 defensive end and No. 9 player in Utah
Quote: “The physicality he will bring, he’ll fit right in with the Dawg pack here. … He can inside and outside ‘backer. He has the tools you would know from Azeem Victor.” — Ikaika Malloe, UW defensive line coach
ARIEL NGATA
Outside linebacker
6-2, 202, Folsom (Calif.) HS/Reno, Nev.
UW bio: Named to the USA Today All-California first team as a senior … also first-team All-Sac-Joaquin Section and first-team All-Sierra League… first-team All-NorCal … as a senior in 2016, helped the Bulldogs to a 12-2 overall record and a berth in the championship game of the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs … credited with 65 total tackles and 6.5 sacks as a senior … in 2015, led Folsom to a 14-1 record and the Sac-Joaquin Section championship … lone loss came in the Division I-AA state championship semifinals … played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl following his senior season … ranked the No. 29 outside linebacker in the nation by 247sports.com and No. 28 by scout.com … ESPN listed him at 39th at his position … rivals.com’s No. 42 overall outside linebacker.
Quote: “This guy can rush the passer, stop the run. He’s going to be another one of the greats at our outside linebacker position.” — Bob Gregory, UW linebackers coach
JOE TRYON
Outside linebacker
6-5, 238, Hazen HS, Renton
UW bio: Earned North Puget Sound League Defensive Lineman of the Year and Seattle Times all-state in 2016 … named to the USA Today all-state team (all levels) as a senior … named to Seattle Times all-area team in 2016 … first-team All-NPSL at both defensive line and tight end in 2016 … played four years on the varsity as a defensive lineman and tight end … named a “red-chip recruit” by the Seattle Times … ranked by scout.com as the No. 134 defensive end in the country … 247sports.com’s No. 48 strongside linebacker recruit … the No. 40 strongside OLB, according to rivals.com … ESPN’s No. 50 defensive end prospect … also played basketball and baseball at Hazen.
Quote: “Another big-time athlete out of Washington. … He’s going to be rushing the passer, setting that edge and getting after quarterbacks in the Pac-12.” — Kwiatkowski
BRANDON McKINNEY
Safety
6-0, 191, Orange Lutheran HS, Orange, Calif.
Pac-12 recruiting class rankings
UW bio: First-team All-Orange County from the Orange County Register as well as first-team All-Trinity League as a senior … credited with 71 tackles and three interceptions as a senior, when the team earned a berth in the CIF Southern Section Division I playoffs … also caught 29 passes for 299 yards as a senior … deflected a two-point conversion pass attempt to seal a win over JSerra and also had two interception returns for a touchdown in a win over Servite in 2016 … as a junior in 2015, made 114 total tackles and also 464 yards on 50 carries (9.3-yard average) with 25 receptions for 388 yards … earned All-Orange County and first-team All-Trinity League as a junior Lancers made the quarterfinal round of Southern Section Pac 5 Division playoffs in 2015 … 66 tackles as a sophomore in 2014 … rated the No. 225 overall prospect and No. 22 safety in the nation by scout.com … ranked as the No. 28 corner and No. 253 overall recruit by 247sports.com … rivals.com’s and ESPN’s No. 25-ranked safety.
Quote: “He’s athletic, he can cover, he can blitz, he can tackle, has a knack for getting the ball, and I’m very excited to coach Brandon McKinney.” — Jimmy Lake, UW co-defensive coordinator
ELIJAH MOLDEN
Cornerback
5-10, 181, West Linn HS, West Linn, Ore.
UW bio: Earned first-team 6A all-state at cornerback and second-team at running back as a senior … also first-team All-Three Rivers League at both positions and first-team USA Today All-Oregon at defensive back … helped lead the Lions to a 14-0 record, including five wins in the 6A state playoffs in 2016 … won the 6A state title with a 62-7 win over Central Catholic in the championship game … rushed for 702 yards on just 59 carries (11.3-yard average) and 10 touchdowns in 2016 … also caught 19 passes for 249 yards and six TDs and notched three interceptions … as a junior in 2015, helped lead West Linn to a 12-2 mark and a berth in the 6A state title game, where the Lions fell in a seven-point loss … earned first-team All-Three Rivers League on both sides of the ball as a junior … rushed for 1,071 yards and 17 TDs on 106 carries and had 476 receiving yards and six TDs on 28 receptions in 2015 … in 2014, the Lions went 8-3 and advanced to the state’s 6A quarterfinals … rushed for 784 yards on 110 carries, with nine rushing TDs as a sophomore … also had 38 receptions for 542 yards and seven TDs in 2014 … ESPN.com listed him at No. 213 overall and as the No. 19 cornerback in the country, and as the No. 2 prospect in Oregon … ranked the No. 151 overall recruit and No. 17 cornerback in the country by scout.com … 247sports.com listed him at No. 2 in Oregon, No. 25 in the nation at cornerback and No. 193 overall … rivals.com’s No. 27 cornerback … second-oldest of eight children of Alex Molden, a member of the University of Oregon Hall of Fame and an eight-year NFL cornerback.
Quote: “One of the most instinctive players I’ve evaluated on tape thus far in my career. … He’s already at the college level in terms of his knowledge of the game. You combine that with his athleticism, his speed and his toughness, and he’s going to be a big-time player for us.” — Lake
KEITH TAYLOR
Cornerback
6-3, 189, Servite HS, Long Beach, Calif.
UW bio: Earned first-team All-Trinity League at cornerback as a senior … second-team Orange County Register All-County in 2016 … missed much of his junior season … played at St. John Bosco as a sophomore in 2014 … a standout sprinter with a personal best of 10.89 in the 100 meters during his junior season … played in the Polynesian Bowl following his senior year … PrepStar All-West Region … named to the Tacoma News-Tribune’s Western 100 … rivals.com ranked him the No. 13 corner and No. 138 overall prospect in the nation … listed by 247sports.com as the No. 27 cornerback and No. 248 overall prospect in the country … the nation’s No. 32 cornerback recruit, according to scout.com.
Quote: “Keith Taylor has a few attributes you cannot coach: He’s 6-3, 189 pounds. We’ve been fortunate to get some long corners the last couple years and Keith is going to be one of the big-time ones to step in and replace a guy like Kevin King.” — Lake
JOEL WHITFORD
Punter
6-4, 215, Santa Barbara (Calif.) JC/Neerim South, Victoria, Australia
UW bio: Enrolled in classes at UW in January … Listed as a freshman on UW’s roster … Played at Santa Barbara City College as a freshman in 2015, when he replaced fellow Aussie Mitch Wishnowsky, who won the Ray Guy Award for Utah in 2016 … earned first-team SCFA All-American Division Pacific League and all-state Region IV … did not play in 2016, essentially redshirting the season … punted 47 times for a 37.6-yard average and had 23 of 47 punts downed inside the 20, with just three touchbacks … opponents managed just nine punt returns for 47 yards over the season … grew up playing rugby in Australia.
Quote: “This guy is a weapon. He can do a lot of different things for us. He can sky kick it, cross kick, rugby kick it. This guy’s going to be fun to watch.” — Bob Gregory, UW linebackers/special teams coach