Washington wide receiver Dezmen Roebuck earned freshman All-American status before ever suiting up for a Spring practice season as a Husky. The rising true sophomore enrolled at Washington last Summer after the Spring season of 2025 and quickly rose to prominence in a talented wide receiver room. “I feel like I definitely had a good freshman season, coming in late and doing what I did,” Roebuck said during Spring practice this past April. “But that’s last year. This is a new year. I got a new role, so I’m just trying to just go up from here.”
Washington WR Dezmen Roebuck
New Number, New Position
The 5’-11 and 184-pound wide receiver will wear number two this season, switching from number 81 that he wore as a true freshman. In addition to the number change, Roebuck will now primarily line up in the slot. A year ago, he lined up in the slot on just 28.1% of his snaps. According to Roebuck, the switch allows him to play a little differently from a technical perspective.
“I definitely have more freedom to do what I need to do to get open,” Roebuck explained this Spring. “The outside was more technical. You get a little bit more freedom [lining up in the slot].” In addition to the freedom in route running, lining up at inside receiver introduces more opportunities for contact. Roebuck is no stranger to taking hard hits, as he did on a few different occasions a season ago. And he’s proven his reliability in those scenarios, whether it was fighting through hard contact at the two-yard line to reach the end zone after a reception against Illinois, or the 11-yard catch against Oregon where he was subsequently lit up by the Ducks’ safety, all while maintaining possession.
“Well, my main focus is catching the rock,” Roebuck said when asked about the hard hits he’s taken. “When I see the ball, I really don’t care who’s there; it could be Ray Lewis; it could be anybody over there. As long as I see the ball in my area, you know I’m gonna go and catch it.”
Receivers coach Kevin Cummings concurred. “Dez has no fear going across the middle of the field,” he said this Spring. “[He’s] our toughest receiver by far. I think not only physically, but confidence-wise, I think he’s the most physical. And then I think he has that elite ability to win in a short area.”
Young Veteran
Roebuck ended up finishing the 2025 season as Washington’s second-leading receiver. His quick acclimation to the playbook and to the college game as a whole contributed greatly to his success. According to him, it all began with keeping his body in the right condition early on.
“I think just being available, trying to keep my body right and just staying healthy,” Roebuck said when asked about how he was able to transition so quickly as a freshman. “And then just knowing my assignments, not having mental errors. I feel like that was a big thing.”
Behind only Denzel Boston in terms of statistics, Roebuck finished his true freshman season with 560 yards on 42 catches with seven touchdowns. His first career 100-yard game was against Rutgers on a Friday night last season, when he caught four passes for 108 yards. Two weeks later, the Arizona native had his first multi-touchdown game against Illinois with two receiving scores on just three catches. On 59 targets, the trusty receiver had only one drop all season, and it was in week two.
Development in the Slot
Roebuck’s transition to the slot appeared seamless this Spring. He unofficially led the offense in receiving during the team’s second Spring scrimmage. Roebuck caught three passes for a total of 68 yards, including a 45-yard deep sideline route that he caught as he fell to the turf.
Roebuck played slot receiver all four years of his high school career at Marana High School in Arizona. And towards the end of last season, Roebuck explained that the coaching staff began using him more frequently in the slot to start introducing that versatility.
Though he’ll be just a true sophomore this Fall, Roebuck conducts himself as a veteran among this Husky offense. He’s first in line for position drills alongside Rashid Williams and runs his routes with confidence. Roebuck said he looks toward Amon-Ra St. Brown, the slot receiver of the Detroit Lions, for inspiration in his game. “He’s really gritty, a little bit bigger than me, but he’s a real physical slot receiver that I feel like I model my game after.”
Main Photo: Nick Lemkau, Last Word On College Football
