The Washington Huskies had high hopes to pull in a strong defensive line class during the 2026 recruiting cycle, but after a strong start in May, when they earned a commitment from four-star edge rusher Derek Colman-Brusa, Jedd Fisch’s coaching staff has been largely quiet in the defensive trenches.
Defensive coordinator Ryan Walters and defensive line coach Jason Kaufusi are hoping to buck that trend in the 2027 class and were one of the first 11 schools to extend an offer to four-star edge rusher Troy Bowens.
Bowens, a product of Sutter High School in California, who is ranked as the No. 190 overall prospect and No. 21 edge rusher in the 2027 class, is also garnering interest from Arizona State, Notre Dame, Oregon, and Tennessee. As Walters looks to continue to bolster the interior of his defensive line, the 6-foot-4, 250-pound recruit looks like he’d be a good fit in the same role Arizona transfer Ta’ita’i Uiagalelei is expected to play this season.
“Bowens is a big-framed edge who probably projects best as a 3-4 end or moving inside in a four-man front,” 247Sports’ Greg Biggins wrote in his evaluation. “He’s a productive player with positional versatility and even played some receiver as a freshman before playing solely on defense as a sophomore. He’s not a super twitchy athlete and can continue to improve in this area, but he’s a physical player with strong hands and shows a non-stop motor.”
“He has good straight-line quickness and closes well on the football. Has a solid track profile with a background in the shot and discuss, and there’s plenty of long-term upside here.”
Washington has identified several early targets along the defensive line in the 2027 class, and Bowens looks like he could be a top priority alongside in-state four-star defensive tackle Tevita Nonu, four-star North Dakota product Luke Starcevic, four-star Elija Harmon, and three-star Matamatagi Uiagalelei, both from California.
