For the second time in less than 24 hours, Washington football has secured a commitment from a defensive back, continuing its aggressive approach to bolstering the secondary for the future.
On Monday morning, a 6-foot-1, 170-pound cornerback from Mount Tahoma High School, announced his pledge to join the Huskies. His commitment makes him the seventh high school player to join Washington’s 2026 recruiting class, coming just one day after the program landed a verbal commitment from IMG Academy defensive back Ksani Jiles.
He is a three-star prospect, is ranked as the No. 11 player in Washington and the No. 75 cornerback nationally, per the 247Sports composite rankings. However, 247Sports itself places him higher, rating him as the seventh-best player in the state. His recruitment was highly competitive, as he held scholarship offers from Arizona, Arizona State, California, Cincinnati, Illinois, Michigan State, Wisconsin, and several other programs.
“He plays a physical game and does a nice job using his length in 50-50 ball situations,” Greg Biggins, a national recruiting analyst for 247Sports, wrote in an evaluation Sunday. “He plays with sound technique, breaks well on the football, and doesn’t have to clutch and grab like a lot of young corners.”
Elijah Durr is stepping into a Washington secondary that will see major turnover after the 2025 season. The Huskies are projected to lose key contributors in the defensive backfield, including starting corners Ephesians Prysock and Tacario Davis, as well as nickelback Dyson McCutcheon, all of whom are expected to exhaust their eligibility.
Compounding the need for reinforcements, Washington lost five cornerbacks to the transfer portal this offseason, including All-Big Ten honorable mention Thaddeus Dixon, Sugar Bowl standout Elijah Jackson, starting nickel Jordan Shaw, former four-star recruit Curley Reed III, and Oregon transfer Darren Barkins.
With these departures, the Huskies’ 2025 cornerback room currently consists of sophomores Caleb Presley and Leroy Bryant, redshirt freshman Elias Johnson, and true freshmen Dylan Robinson, D’Aryhian Clemons, and Ramonz Adams. Durr’s addition ensures that Washington continues restocking its secondary with promising young talent.
Biggins also highlighted Durr’s ball skills and experience as a wide receiver at Mount Tahoma, noting that his offensive background enhances his playmaking ability as a defensive back.
“We would like to see him continue to improve his overall top-end speed to keep pace with some of the faster receivers he’ll face at the college level,” Biggins added, “but he’s an easy high Power 4 prospect with a very nice ceiling.”
Durr’s commitment is a testament to head coach Jedd Fisch’s efforts to secure top in-state talent. He becomes the fourth Washington native in the Huskies’ 2026 class, joining Eastside Catholic linebacker Wassie Lugolobi, Evergreen athlete Terrance Saryon, and Roosevelt lineman Ah Deong Yang.
Fisch’s recruiting momentum within the state may not be slowing down anytime soon. Durr was recently on campus for Washington’s junior weekend alongside several other top in-state prospects, including Kennedy Catholic edge rusher Derek Colman-Brusa, O’Dea defensive linemen David Schwerzel and Fameitau Siale, and Bethel linebacker Ramzak Fruean.
Colman-Brusa is currently ranked as the No. 1 prospect in Washington, while Schwerzel, Siale, and Fruean occupy the No. 3, No. 4, and No. 5 spots, respectively. Lugolobi, who committed in November, ranks No. 7, while Saryon, another recent pledge, sits at No. 8.
This focus on keeping local talent close to home aligns with a trend Fisch established in the 2025 recruiting cycle when he brought in five in-state players: Bethel linebacker Zaydrius Rainey-Sale, Auburn Riverside linebacker Jonathan Epperson Jr., Spanaway Lake cornerback D’Aryhian Clemons, Kamiak edge rusher Victor Sanchez Hernandez, and Kennedy Catholic offensive lineman Lowen Colman-Brusa, the older brother of Derek Colman-Brusa.
Fisch’s recent success in recruiting Washington talent stands in contrast to his past track record in the state. Prior to taking the Huskies job, Fisch’s only two Washington signees were Kentridge tight end Dorian Thomas in 2023 and Garfield two-way star Rahshawn Clark in 2024, the latter of whom followed Fisch to UW.
For comparison, former Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer signed six Washington natives across three recruiting cycles: wide receiver Denzel Boston, safety Tristan Dunn, tight end Ryan Otton, center Landen Hatchett, edge rusher Jacob Lane, and cornerback Caleb Presley.
With Fisch now prioritizing in-state talent, the Huskies are positioning themselves to build a strong foundation of local recruits for the future.
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