Before Tuesday, Washington’s 2025 commitments appeared heavily skewed towards offense, with pledges from two quarterbacks, a running back, an offensive lineman, and a wide receiver, but no defensive players. This changed when first-year head coach Jedd Fisch secured the Huskies’ first defensive commitment for the 2025 cycle: three-star edge rusher Devin Hyde.
Hyde, a 6-foot-5, 225-pound defensive end from Menlo-Atherton High School in the Bay Area, announced his commitment to Washington on social media. In his junior season, he recorded 94 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, and a fumble recovery, according to MaxPreps.
“With Devin Hyde, you’ve got a kid who’s got a rugby background, so he’s already a pretty physical player who likes to get after it,” said Brandon Huffman, 247Sports National Recruiting Editor.
Hyde chose Washington over UCLA and California, having visited both schools in early May. He also received offers from Arizona, Washington State, and several Mountain West schools, including Fresno State, San Diego State, and Air Force.
“He’s more of a true edge rusher,” Huffman said. “Not necessarily a guy who’s going to drop into coverage to cover tight ends or backs. His strength is as a pass rusher. He’s got the speed, quickness, and size, along with a good arsenal of moves. He probably needs to get a bit stronger and add some weight, like many high school players transitioning to college.”
I am incredibly excited and honored to say that I am committed to the University of Washington!!! ☔️ #GoHuskies Thank you so much to the amazing staff, players, and coaches who have made UW feel like home 💜 @CoachKaufusi @CoachJeddFisch @coachsaunders85 @BrandonHuffman pic.twitter.com/HjFAGiGUBp
— Devin Hyde (@DevinHyde25) June 11, 2024
Hyde is ranked as the No. 76 player at his position and the No. 80 prospect in California by 247Sports composite rankings. He is the sixth player to join Washington’s 2025 class and the second from the Bay Area, alongside running back Julian McMahan from Monte Vista High School in Danville, Calif.
Hyde is the second player from Menlo-Atherton to commit to Washington in recent years, following redshirt freshman offensive tackle Soane Faasolo. Former UW players Daniel Heimuli and Noa Ngalu also hailed from Menlo-Atherton. Hyde’s mother attended Washington as an undergraduate, adding a personal connection to his commitment.
This commitment is crucial for Washington, which lacked young edge rushers. The Huskies signed no defensive ends in their 2024 class and will start the upcoming season with no true or redshirt freshman edge rushers on the roster. Washington currently has nine scholarship edge rushers for the 2023 season, with only senior Voi Tunuufi expected to exhaust his eligibility.
The Huskies’ depth was recently bolstered by a settlement between the NCAA and the Department of Justice, which bans transfer restrictions and retroactively restores years previously lost. This benefits senior edge rusher Zach Durfee, who missed most of the 2023 season after his appeal for immediate eligibility was denied. He transferred from North Dakota State to the University of Sioux Falls and was considered a multi-time transfer. With the settlement, he no longer needs to appeal for his lost season to be restored.
However, Washington’s edge rusher depth might be tested if they have a successful 2024 season. Durfee and third-year sophomore Isaiah Ward are eligible for the NFL draft after the upcoming season, and transfer portal attrition is always a possibility, even though UW did not lose any edge rushers during the spring transfer window.
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