On Friday afternoon, Washington added a 16th member to its 2025 recruiting class. Caleb Smith announced his decision to play for the Huskies on a day filled with commitment announcements surrounding the Washington program. The Huskies had their eyes on four potential targets who made their college decisions on Friday. Smith was one of the four, while the other three committed elsewhere.
Caleb Smith Commits to Washington
After Smith took his official visit during the weekend of June 21st, the defensive lineman announced his decision to commit to Washington on Friday afternoon. His decision was narrowed down to two Big Ten programs, Purdue and Washington. Smith officially visited the Boilermakers the week prior to his trip to Seattle. Both programs were very interested in the Alabama native who attends Parker High School in Birmingham. Smith took to social media to announce his decision, where he pledged to play football for the Washington Huskies.
Smith is a 6’-5” and 265-pound defensive lineman who lines up both at the EDGE in a two-point stance, as well as on the interior in a three-point stance. His high school tape shows a player who is comfortable at either position, though he projects as an EDGE at the college level. Upon the snap, Smith is explosive with his contact with the opposition. When he gets in the backfield, Smith puts hard, physical hits on running backs and quarterbacks.
When Smith lines up on the EDGE, he exhibits great patience with his RPO reads rather than jumping the gun with anticipation. He maintains good arm separation from blockers where he is able to shed blockers and get his hands on the ball carrier effectively. This allows him to slow plays down and get his hands in throwing lanes and on the football. Smith’s athleticism could allow him to slide back into a hybrid linebacker spot as well. The Alabama native is a versatile player in the defensive front and a valuable pickup for the Huskies.
Prospects Commit Elsewhere
Smith was one of four players slated to announce their college decisions on Friday. One of the others was five-star cornerback Dijon Lee Jr. His list of finalists included Washington, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, USC, and Texas A&M. The California native ended up committing to Kalen DeBoer and the Crimson Tide over Washington and the others.
Four-star defensive lineman Josiah Sharma made his commitment just 30 minutes after Lee, both did so live on YouTube. Sharma had previously committed to Washington in January. The coaching change led to his decommitment later in January. With his recruitment back open, he received offers from Texas, Oregon, and Alabama. Friday, Sharma committed to Washington’s rival to the south, the Oregon Ducks.
Darius Afalava was also slated to make his commitment on Friday. The three-star offensive lineman narrowed his final four to Washington, Utah, Michigan State, and Oklahoma. Afalava’s cousin, Champ Taulealea, also plays on the offensive line. Taulealea recently committed to Washington as a member of its 2025 recruiting class. Afalava, the number four player in Utah, made his decision live on social media where he committed to Oklahoma.
