Linebacker is one of the few positions where Washington will be retaining some of their key playmakers. Two of the four leading Husky tacklers from last year are back at linebacker. The only significant loss at the position will be Edefuan Ulofoshio, who had an excellent outing at the NFL Combine. Washington also gained two transfers in this position room and granted a scholarship to a former walk-on.
Returning Talent
Carson Bruener is back in purple and gold for next season after posting 86 total tackles last season. He was the team’s third-leading tackler and also posted three pass breakups, 2.5 tackles for loss, and a forced fumble. Pro Football Focus had him with an impressive 83.9 grade in coverage last season. Bruener will be a fifth-year senior at linebacker in 2024 and one of the leaders on the Washington defense. He also excelled on special teams last season, making some highlight-worthy tackles on kick coverage.
Alphonzo Tuputala is another Husky who will return for his senior season at linebacker. He took to social media in February to announce “One more for the hometown.” Last year, Tuputala was Washington’s fourth-leading tackler with 69 total. The biggest thing Tuputala brings to this linebacker room next season is his game experience. He’s been on the field for north of 570 snaps in each of the last two seasons. And last season, he posted the highest tackling grade of his career with a 70.8 according to Pro Football Focus. Between Tuputala and Bruener, the two have a combined 2,268 total snaps on their resume.
Transfer Additions at Linebacker
Washington did really well in the winter window of the transfer portal at linebacker. The biggest addition was Bryun Parham coming into town from San Jose State. He was the Spartans’ leading tackler in 2023 with 106 on the season. His 60 solo tackles last year ranked second in the Mountain West Conference. Parham also had an interception last year and five tackles for loss. The fourth-year senior is 5’-11” and 212 pounds with a highly impressive 84.2 tackling grade according to Pro Football Focus. We’ll be following his development through the offseason as he works to become a regular in the Husky front seven.
Anthony Ward was an addition from Arizona in the winter transfer portal cycle. He’ll be in the purple and gold for the second time in his career. Ward walked on at Washington in 2020 before transferring to Arizona ahead of the 2022 season. His first collegiate action was last season where he appeared in all 13 of the Wildcats’ games on special teams. It included a blocked punt which he recovered for a touchdown against Utah. Ward’s experience is not near where Parham is as a transfer. But at 6’-0” and 225 pounds, the fifth-year is listed as a junior and will be a key depth piece in this linebacker room.
Scholarship Award
Drew Fowler is entering his final season as a Husky, and on March 3rd it was announced Fowler was put on scholarship. The Bellevue, Washington native was recruited to Washington by Chris Petersen in 2019 but did not receive a scholarship. Fowler had offers from UCLA, Utah, and Oregon State, among others, but decided to walk on to his hometown team. In five years in purple and gold, he saw the field in four of them, including all 28 games of the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Fowler has 29 total tackles in his career but has been one of the constants on this roster among all the turnover during the last five years in Seattle. Though Fowler likely won’t be among the starters at the position, his veteran presence will be crucial as Washington has its fourth coaching staff since 2019.
Down the Depth Chart
This linebacker room consists mainly of first- and second-year players. Khmori House is the lone true freshman linebacker and he enters the program as a four-star according to Rivals in the class of 2024. House had offers from Auburn and Texas but landed in Seattle.
The redshirt freshmen include Jordan Whitney, Deven Bryant, and Logan Lisherness. Whitney and Lisherness did not see any action as true freshmen last season. But Bryant got into four games, preserving his redshirt and gaining early experience. Bryant had four tackles in his first-ever collegiate game against Boise State last year. He finished the year with six total tackles. Griffin Miller will be a third-year sophomore after redshirting in 2022. He notched four total tackles last season as a redshirt freshman.
