SEATTLE – Before the season began Washington already had 14 verbal commitments secured for its 2019 recruiting class.

Since then three more prospects have added their names to the list; three-star offensive lineman Troy Fautanu (Henderson, Nevada/Liberty), four-star offensive tackle Julius Buelow (Kapolei, Hawaii) and four-star defensive end Bralen Trice (Phoenix, Arizona/Sandra Day O’Connor).

The trio UW moved up the Rivals team rankings to No. 22 in the country, remaining third in the Pac-12 behind Oregon (ranked No. 3) and USC (ranked No. 20). With 17 commitments to date UW is another trio away from equaling the total number of recruits it signed in 2018.

From 2016-18 the Huskies have signed an average of 18 recruits per class after signing 48 combined between 2014-15, the first two years of Chris Petersen’s tenure at UW.

His first three recruiting hauls of 23 and 25 players respectively resulted in a -1 net recruiting difference in Rivals’ team rankings. UW improved its 2014 ranking by six spots to finish No. 30 in 2015 before jumping back up to No. 37 the following year.

The next two classes produced a plus-22 difference, up fourteen spots in 2017 to No. 23 and eight more to No. 15 in 2018. It’s no coincidence that the Huskies success in recruiting has transitioned to their rise on the field in the same period of time.

Petersen has made his disdain clear when it comes to recruiting and star rankings for prospects.

However, whether or not the Huskies head coach acknowledges it, as the volume of four-star recruits has increased during his tenure so to has the number in the win column. With two months until the December signing period, and a little less than four months until National Signing Day, UW is two four-star recruits shy of tying the number it signed in 2018.

One five-star prospect and a bevy of four-stars remain on the board for UW as the 2019 cycle enters the final stage.