Pittsburgh LB and team captain Cam Bright announces graduate transfer to UW Huskies

Kalen DeBoer knew UW’s dwindling linebacker depth needed to be addressed this offseason.

On Monday, the Huskies did just that.

Cam Bright — a two-year starter and a team captain at Pittsburgh in 2021 — will make a graduate transfer to Washington for his sixth and final season of eligibility, he announced on social media following a campus visit.

“Following up a great visit I had this past weekend at (UW football), I would like to announce my commitment!” Bright tweeted. “Excited to represent this University & lead the pack w/ (Kalen DeBoer) #GoDawgs.”

A 6-foot, 220-pound linebacker, Bright compiled 182 tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, four passes defended, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and an interception in 51 career games at Pitt. The Montgomery, Alabama, native and two-year starter finished sixth on the team with 58 tackles and added six tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery in 14 games last fall.

Bright is the second transfer in 24 hours to announce UW as his next destination, after New Mexico running back Aaron Dumas verbally committed Sunday.

In Seattle, Bright will be one of just six scholarship linebackers (as of now) — joining junior Edefuan Ulofoshio, junior Cerritos College transfer Demario King and sophomores Carson Bruener, Daniel Heimuli and Alphonzo Tuputala. UW linebackers Jackson Sirmon (Cal) and M.J. Tafisi (Utah State) transferred out of the program in the past several months, while Will Latu and Miki Ah You left the team last summer.

Of course, Ulofoshio has started 12 games at UW and will be counted on as a key contributor again in 2022. Bruener, a redshirt freshman last fall, also emerged following Ulofoshio’s season-ending injury — starting five games and finishing second on the team (behind Sirmon) with 70 tackles, while adding 2.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, 1.5 sacks and an interception as well. Heimuli and Tuputala have each participated primarily in reserve roles (though Heimuli did start two games last season).

At Washington, the transfer portal has given and taken in equal measure this offseason, as six players have left and six others have committed since DeBoer’s arrival from Fresno State. The Huskies have added Bright, Dumas, Arizona State wide receiver Lonyatta “Junior” Alexander, Indiana quarterback Michael Penix Jr., UC Davis cornerback Jordan Perryman and Cerritos College linebacker Demario King. On the other side, the departure list consists of Sirmon (Cal), defensive tackle Sam Taimani (Oregon), wide receiver Terrell Bynum (USC), wide receiver Sawyer Racanelli (Montana), outside linebacker Cooper McDonald (San Diego State) and tight end Mark Redman (San Diego State).

The addition of Bright, a proven Power Five performer, certainly addresses a need in the middle of UW’s defense.

And given the last few days, UW might not be done.