1 week Ago
Former University of Washington football players are finding out it's not the end of the world if they didn't get drafted -- there's always free agency. On Saturday following the three-day draft, at least a half-dozen one-time Huskies agreed to free-agent deals, with tight end Keleki Latu going to the Buffalo Bills, wide receiver Jeremiah Hunter to the Chicago Bears and defensive tackle Sebastian Valdez to the San Francisco 49ers from last season's team in lMontlake. From previous seasons as UW players, cornerback Jabbar Muhammad went from Oregon to the Jacksonville Jaguars, cornerback Mishael Powell from Miami to the Minnesota Vikings and quarterback Ethan Garbers from UCLA to the Carolina Panthers.
The 5-foot-9, 183-pound Muhammad, who played three seasons for Oklahoma State before coming west to the UW and Oregon, might have been the biggest surprise among this group not to hear his name called out in Green Bay. He had a combined 31 pass break-ups over the past two season, including 19 for the Huskies in 2023, and was both a second-team All-Pac-12 and second-team All-Big Ten selection. Latu will attempt to join his brother Laiatu as a full-fledged NFL player with his 6-foot-7, 244-pound frame that could stand a little more weight.
Laiatu Latu is an edge rusher for the Indianapolis Colts after he was a first-round pick out of UCLA a year ago. The older Latu began his career at the UW. The 6-foot-4, 305-pound Valdez, who's from Southern California, will try his luck with the 49ers.
After spending four seasons at Montana State, he was a 13-game starter for the Huskies this past season and was said to the team's strongest player with a 405-pound bench press. Hunter will try to earn a receiving job in Chicago alongside former Husky Rome Odunze. While those two never played together at the UW, they were opponents previously when Hunter palyed for California.
Garbers, who spent the 2020 season at the UW but didn't play, will try to surpass his brother's NFL pursuits. Chase Garbers, formerly of Cal, was a Las Vegas Raiders free-agent signee in 2022 and he went on to briefly hold a spot on the active roster before turning to the San Antonio Bravos of the UFL. Powell, a starter on the Huskies' national runner-up team in 2023 and a five-year UW player, spent last season with Miami and was a second-team All-ACC selection.
From Seattle, he originally was a walk-on in Montlake. To get the latest UW football and basketball news, go to si.com/college/washington.
