The way things have played out this season for the University of Washington football team, with the emergence of untold precocious players such as offensive tackle John Mills and linebacker Zaydrius Rainey-Sale, it almost seemed as if everyone was a freshman — and there were no seniors.
However, nothing could be further from the truth as 22 Huskies will take part in the traditional Senior Walk before Saturday’s game against fifth-ranked Oregon and be saluted for their contributions to Montlake football by Jedd Fisch and his coaching staff.
“We give the opportunity for anybody that’s in their fourth year to walk,” Fisch said. “We don’t talk about whether they want to return or not. We’ll have those discussions after the fact. Some guys know they’re coming back so they choose not to walk. Some guys aren’t sure, so they choose to walk.”
One example of someone with an unknown future is defensive tackle Anterio Thompson, who’s a senior after playing for the UW, Western Michigan, Iowa and a Kansas junior college, but might have eligibility remaining because of potential eligibility changes involving two-year schools.
“It’s definitely been something that’s been on my mind,” the 6-foot-4, 310-pound Thompson said last week, “but I’d just like to focus with what’s going on right now with the team and making sure to finish the season strong.”
Anterio Thompson (54) pokes his head out of a pile against Rutgers. / Dave Sizer photo
Demonstrating how transient college football has become, 16 of these guys came to the UW as transfers. Five arrived from Arizona, following Fisch north.
With all of the money involved in compensating players now, effectively changing the face of the Husky roster, only three of these departing players are walk-ons.
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The financial give-and-take has taken some of the romance out of the college game, somewhat negating the daydream that you can somehow come out of nowhere and become somebody with a scholarship. If guys aren’t getting paid, they’re just unlikely to play on game day.
Consider that graduating walk-on Milton Hopkins Jr. has gone from appearing in 13 games in 2024, and five the season before that, to just one appearance this season.
A thank you to our Senior Class 💜
Make sure to get to Husky Stadium early to send them off right on Saturday! pic.twitter.com/BomUuvB4DW
— Washington Football (@UW_Football) November 27, 2025
Tight end Quentin Moore has played college football the longest of any of these exiting Huskies, beginning his college career way back in 2019 at two-year Independence Community College in Kansas. He didn’t have a season in 2020 because of the COVID pandemic and joined the Huskies in 2021.
Safety Makell Esteen, offensive guard Geirean Hatchett, linebacker Anthony Ward are the last vestiges of the 2020 recruiting class put together by former coach Jimmy Lake, making them sixth-year players, though only Esteen has spent all six seasons at the UW.
Hatchett transferred to Oklahoma last season and came back, while Ward transferred to Arizona and came back.
Geirean Hatchett is nearing the end of six-year college career, five spent at the UW. / Dave Sizer photo
Esteen is the only UW player to appear in a game in 2020, drawing snaps against Arizona, before Fisch took over there.
Defensive Logan Sagapolu likewise is a sixth-year player after spending two seasons each at Oregon, Miami and now the UW.
Edge rusher Deshawn Lynch would be a sixth-year player had his freshman season at Sacramento State in 2020 not been canceled by COVID. Yet it’s time for him to finish up, to take the Senior Walk before facing Oregon.
“There’s going to be some emotional ones,” Fisch said of the player exits. “There’s some guys I’ve had for four years, two places.”
SENIORS
CAREER STATS
Jonah Coleman, RB (Arizona transfer)
played in 23 games, started 21; rushed for 1,704 yards and scored 26 TDs
Tacario Davis, CB (Arizona transfer)
started 7 games; 34 tackles, 2 interceptions, 5 PBUs
Zach Durfee, ER (Sioux Falls transfer)
played in 16 games, started 12; 44 tackles, 5.5 sacks
Makell Esteen, S
played in 44 games, 18 starts; 118 tackles, 5 interceptions, 9 PBUs
Omari Evans, WR (Penn State transfer)
played in 9 games, one start; 12 catches for 215 yards and TD
Grady Gross, PK
converted 45 of 60 FGs, all 145 extra points
Geirean Hatchett, OG (Oklahoma transfer)
played in 36 games, started 15
Milton Hopkins Jr., ER
played in 19 games; 2 tackles
Kai Horton, QB (Tulane transfer)
played in 3 games; rushed for 2 TDs
Deshawn Lynch, ER (Sacramento State transfer
played in 21 games, 4 starts; 37 tackles, 2 sacks
Max McCree, OT (Maryland transfer)
played in 14 games, started 7
Dyson McCutcheon, NB
played in 24 games; 14 tackles
Griffin Miller, LB
played in 5 games; 5 tackles
Quentin Moore, TE (JC transfer)
played in 37 games, started 9; 12 receptions for 136 yards and TD
Simote Pepa, DT (Utah transfer)
played in 10 games, started once; 5 tackles
Ephesians Prysock, CB (Arizona transfer)
started 24 games; 84 tackles, interception
Logan Sagapolu, DT (Miami transfer)
played in 22 games, started once; 10 tackles
Anterio Thompson, DT (Western Michigan transfer)
played in 11 games, started twice; 24 tackles, 1.5 sacks
Anthony Ward, LB (Arizona transfer)
played in 23 games; 4 tackles, blocked punt
Tristan Warner, S
played in 6 games; 4 tackles
Carver Willis, OT (Kansas State transfer)
started 8 games
Ta’ita’i Uiagalelei, DL (Arizona transfer)
started 11 games; 17 tackles, 2 sacks
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