Even Dozen: UW Lands 12th Four-Star Commit, Defensive End Laiatu Latu
The night before UW commits can begin sending in their National Letters of Intent on Wednesday, one more four-star recruit added his name to the 2019 recruiting class.
The 6-5, 242-pound defensive end from Jesuit High School (Carmichael, California) chose the Huskies over USC on Tuesday night after taking an official visit this past weekend. UW now has 12 four-star commitments secured for this years’ class, the most in one class under Chris Petersen.
Each year since Petersen arrived from Boise State in December 2013, UW has signed the same amount or greater number of four-star recruits as they did the previous class. Last year the Huskies signed 10, which was up from back-to-back classes with seven.
Latu joins fellow four-star Bralen Trice, a 6-foot-4 and 230-pound pass rusher from Sandra Day O’Connor HS (Phoenix, Arizon), and three-star outside linebacker Alphonzo Tuputala as the three BUCK recruits the Huskies will take in 2019.
In 12 games as a senior for Jesuit, Latu recorded 29.5 tackles for loss and six sacks while also forcing two fumbles and notching a pair of interceptions. Combined over three years on Varsity the four-star edge rusher finished his high school career with 178 total tackles (126 individual), 50.5 tackles for loss and 21 sacks in 33 games.
Latu is ranked as the No. 4 DE prospect in the class and No. 20 from the state of California. Of the dozen four-star commitments for the Huskies 2019 haul, eight are slated to play defense with first-year coordinator Jimmy Lake and Co. loading up once again.
UW signed 10 four-star recruits last year, up three from the 2016-17 classes that saw only seven.
With the addition of Latu the Huskies class moved up two spots to No. 15 on Rivals team rankings now with 21 commits. UW still remains No. 2 in the conference behind Oregon (No. 5), and just ahead of Stanford (No. 17).
It also moves them one spot above their Rose Bowl opponent, Ohio State, for the moment. Many programs in the top 25 are expected to still add more recruits to their classes between Wednesday and the traditional National Signing Day on February 6, so the rankings don’t reflect what will be the total picture in eight weeks.