Ranking the Husky Cornerbacks, 1 through 10

One of the joys of University of Washington spring football is watching the quarterbacks and cornerbacks go after each other every practice.

These are two Husky position groups as well stocked as any on the team, filled with guys with unlimited talent and confidence.

Through five practice sessions, they've taken turns beating each other and rejoicing in their successes.

It was just two years ago in the post-Trent McDuffie and Kyler Gordon era -- after each of those guys were singled out as first-team All-Pac-12 selections and were among the top 39 picks of the NFL draft -- that the Huskies couldn't keep a pair of corners healthy, confident or successful for any length of time.

Counting McDuffie and Gordon passing up their final seasons of college eligibility, the UW basically found itself using fourth-string corners by midseason during the 2022 campaign.

Since that time, former UW coach Kalen DeBoer brought in six new cornerbacks last season, with both the present and future in mind, and his successor Jedd Fisch will have up to three more corners on the roster by June.

With all of this in mind, we rank this specific collection of Husky secondary talent, which numbers 10 players in all. Seven of them have played in Power 4 games, five have started and most of these guys lean to the taller side for a corner. Seven of them hail from California.

TURNING THE CORNER

1. Ephesians Prysock -- A sophomore, this Arizona transfer is both the tallest of the UW corners (6-foot-4, 190 pounds) and the most decorated (2023 All-Pac-12 honorable mention). He has 16 career starts. With his long arms, he's already had some classic practice battles with sophomore wide receiver Denzel Boston, who's also 6-foot-4. He's the portal replacement for Jabbar Muhammad, the one-time Oklahoma State transfer and the Huskies' second-team All-Pac-12 pick who chose to finish up at Oregon.

2. Elijah Jackson -- The 6-foot-1, 195-pound junior was a 15-game starter for the Huskies' CFP team and was far from perfect, but he came up with big plays when it was needed most, such as his game-ending, end-zone pass deflection to close out the Sugar Bowl over Texas. He has 17 career starts. He's had ample opportunity to become a more confident player out on his coverage island and is due for a stingy season. He's still seeking his first Husky interception.

3. Leroy Bryant -- If there's a wild card in what might look like a cut and dried competition, the 5-foot-11, 178-pound redshirt freshman will be given every opportunity to unseat Jackson or Prysock as a starter. DeBoer's staff was immediately smitten with him and his football instincts in his first year and played him in seven games without Bryant losing his eligibility, including in all three postseason games. He's ready to play more.

4. Thaddeus Dixon -- A JC transfer last season, Dixon showed up with plenty of athleticism and he proved to be ultra confident, undaunted by the higher level. That got him into 14 games, with the 6-foot-1, 192-pound Dixon starting against USC and intercepting a pass against Washington State in the Apple Cup. He's ready to open more games if needed.

5. Jordan Shaw -- He got a head start on everyone in playing in the Big Ten by spending his freshman year at Indiana, where he appeared in four games and started two. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound redshirt freshman has shown himself to be a feisty corner, unafraid to mix it up in spring practice with an insolent wide receiver.

6. Davon Banks -- This hard-luck player has suffered season-ending injuries to his upper body in each of the past two years. He appeared in just two games last season. He appeared in eight outings in 2022, starting a pair of games and intercepting a pass against Arizona State. The 5-foot-11, 184-pound junior could climb up this list fairly high if he can maintain his health.

7. Darren Barkins -- He might be the fastest of these corners, or at least he was extra swift until suffering a season-ending leg injury in the UW's third game last fall against Michigan State. The 6-foot, 166-pound Barkins spent two seasons at Oregon, where he played in 12 games as a reserve.

8. Curley Reed II -- This Louisiana import arrived with 4-star credentials and redshirted in 2023 without appearing in any games, though he gladly would have taken the field for the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans back home. As a redshirt freshman at 6-foot-1 and 198 pounds, he's the heaviest of the corners.

9. Caleb Presley -- The Seattle native was the local guy with 4-star credentials who picked the UW over Oregon. His progress, however, has been slow with the 6-foot, 177-pounder redshirting and not drawing any game snaps his first season and dealing with some sort of injury this spring and limited in his participation.

10. Elias Johnson -- The 6-foot-1, 165-pound speedster is ranked last only because he doesn't report until June. He can run, logging three punt and kickoff returns for touchdowns for his Oregon high school. His long frame and foot speed make him an interesting prospect.

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