Brendan Radley-Hiles Wins Spring 'Best Hands' Award
Even prior to his first practice in Purple and Gold, it was evident that Brendan Radley-Hiles was going to make an impact at the University of Washington.
A former five-star recruit out of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, the 5-foot-10 defensive back was ranked as the No. 2 cornerback in the 2018 recruiting class by Rivals and the No. 17 overall prospect.
The only CB ahead of Radley-Hiles was Patrick Surtain II, who signed with the University of Alabama and was taken No. 9 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos.
Surtain II was the second player taken at his position after South Carolina’s Jaycee Horn went No. 8 to the Carolina Panthers. Radley-Hiles, nicknamed ‘Bookie’, transferred to UW with the goal being to hear his name called in the first-round.
It didn’t take long for the former Oklahoma Sooner to make himself at home in Seattle.
On day four of spring ball Radley-Hiles picked off sophomore starting quarterback Dylan Morris and made it look effortless. He picked off Morris in the end zone on day nine of spring and recorded a pair of interceptions on the second to last practice before the Spring Game.
From the first practice, Radley-Hiles worked to not only pick up the defensive scheme UW runs and learn the playbook. He took small windows he had to observe how the other defensive backs were looking as they took reps.
Most importantly, he dove right in to the film with junior cornerback Trent McDuffie and the rest of the secondary.
“It’s been great, actually. He’s really mature and understanding the playbook,” McDuffie said when asked about Radley-Hiles.
“I mean, we spent hours I swear last week just going film. Over and over and over. He’s a great addition to the room and it’s going to be really exciting.”
When the players review the film from spring there will be plenty of plays with Bookie hauling down interceptions. In fact, he made so many he earned the coveted Best Hands football for the most picks made by a UW defensive back in spring camp.
Defensive backs coach Will Harris was hired at UW four days after Radley-Hiles made his commitment to Oklahoma at the Army All-American Bowl on Jan. 6, 2018.
The two had a relationship built and it continued while Bookie was in Norman, which helped open the door for him to come back out West. Radley-Hiles is a native of southern California who played at Calabasas High School before he transferred to IMG Academy his senior year.
“As far as him coming here I think it was more so, he saw an opportunity as Elijah Molden left and him being more of that nickel type body,” Harris said of Radley-Hiles.
“Understanding that we develop DB’s and get guys to the NFL. We want guys that want to go to the NFL. And him, with his experience as far as at Oklahoma having starts under his belt he’s bringing that experience to our room. We all know that nickel spot, that’s the quarterback of our defense.”
Molden became the eighth defensive back from UW drafted to the NFL this past weekend since 2015, going in the third-round No. 100 overall to the Tennessee Titans. Keith Taylor became the ninth when the Carolina Panthers selected him in the fifth-round, No. 166 overall.
In his three seasons at Oklahoma, Radley-Hiles recorded three interceptions but made nine tackles for loss and finished with 115 total tackles as a Sooner. On Saturday, Bookie made a handful of plays that showcased his vast arsenal when it comes to impacting the offense.
He can blitz off the edge out of the nickel corner position. He can drop back in coverage to play the zone. Or, as Radley-Hiles showed throughout this spring, he can clamp down at the line of scrimmage and take away one third of the field.
“We feel like we added a physical competitor to our roster,” Lake said on day one of spring, referring to Bookie.
With the addition of Radley-Hiles in between two outside junior cornerbacks, Trent McDuffie and Kyler Gordon, the Husky secondary is expected to be one of the best in the country this fall.