JD Hill, Kai McClendon Are PROMISING WEAPONS For Washington's D-Line

The Washington Huskies’ defensive line looks primed for a breakout season as new talent from the high school ranks is raising expectations on Montlake for Jedd Fisch's team. Can Kai McClendon’s SEC experience at Mississippi State and J.D. Hill’s explosive pass-rushing prowess can redefine their future in the Big Ten and help the Huskies shed last year’s sack struggles? With returning standouts like Elinneus Davis, transfer portal additions like DeSean Watts and Darin Conley, and freshmen Derek Colman-Brusa and TI Umu-Cais, the group’s depth and mix of skill sets signal a renewed identity up front for defensive coordinator Ryan Walters. Locked on Huskies host Roman Tomashoff spotlights the evolving defensive front, from spring practice standouts to the significance of committed recruits Jon Ioane and Matamatagi Uiagalelei. He breaks down creative pairing strategies, addresses the importance of building for 2026 and 2027, and investigates key recruiting targets like four-star tackle Tevita Nonu, three-star defensive lineman Josh Christensen, and three-star edge rushers Troy Mailo, Jag Ioane, Achilles Reyna, and Ty Tautolo. Can the Huskies’ revamped defensive line spark a new defensive era in the Big Ten?  Find out what the future holds for Washington’s defensive front. 00:00: Intro 01:09: Focus on key defensive line players missing from spring practice (Kai McClendon, J.D. Hill) 09:29: Building blocks and depth: Long-term outlook for the defensive interior 13:28: Evaluating the edge/outside linebacker group and spring practice standouts 17:51: Transfer portal, roster development, and staff philosophy on player development 21:35: 2027 recruiting class status and key defensive line commits 25:45: Edge rusher targets and recruiting priorities for the 2027 class Become a Locked On Huskies Insider: joinsubtext.com/lockedonhuskies Locked On Huskies is part of the Locked On Podcast Network  Everydayer ClubIf you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Indeed Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast RugietGet 15% off your treatment → https://rugiet.com/lockedonnhlRugiet. Performance medicine for men. FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now new customers can bet just five dollars and get one-hundred and fifty dollars in bonus bets if your first bet wins.Visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started — Play Your Game. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.