Just two days after offensive coordinator Brennan Carroll’s departure, one of Washington’s top 2026 recruits has decided to reopen his commitment. Five-star offensive lineman announced on social media Wednesday that he is decommitting from UW. The 6-foot-4, 305-pound lineman originally committed to the Huskies on Nov. 25.
“He has impressive length with an almost 80-inch wingspan, strong hands, and a physical playing style,” wrote 247Sports national recruiting analyst Greg Biggins in a Sept. 29 evaluation. “He moves well laterally, has a solid lower body, and plays with advanced technique. He’s already a national recruit, and his game continues to develop.”
Esun Tafa’s decision comes just days after Carroll, who also coached the offensive line, left to join the Las Vegas Raiders and his father, Pete Carroll. In response, Washington head coach Jedd Fisch promoted Michael Switzer to offensive line coach and appointed Jimmie Dougherty as the new offensive coordinator.
Ranked as the No. 5 prospect in Utah and the No. 15 interior offensive lineman nationally, Tafa was Washington’s second-highest-ranked commit for 2026. UW tight ends coach Jordan Paopao had recently visited him on Jan. 31, as noted in a social media post. Nationally ranked No. 250, Tafa holds offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Arkansas, BYU, California, Iowa State, Miami, Michigan State, Oregon, Utah, and Washington State. His decommitment leaves UW with five commits in its 2026 recruiting class.
Now, four-star running back Ansu Sanoe from Lake Oswego, Ore., is Washington’s only blue-chip commit. Other current pledges include three-star linebacker Wassie Lugolobi (Eastside Catholic), three-star athlete Terrance Saryon (Evergreen High), and unranked offensive lineman Ah Deong Yang (Roosevelt High). Kicker CJ Wallace from St. John Bosco is the Huskies’ final commit at this stage.
Though the 2026 recruiting cycle is still in its early stages, Washington’s offensive line struggled throughout the 2024 season, making Tafa’s departure a concerning loss. UW signed six offensive linemen in the 2025 class—Champ Taulealea, Jack Shaffer, John Mills, Jake Flores, Lowen Colman-Brusa, and Peter Langi—and added Kansas State transfer Carver Willis along with former Husky Geirean Hatchett.
Langi Heads to Arizona
Despite signing six offensive linemen in 2025, UW is already seeing roster changes. Three-star lineman Peter Langi (6-5, 330 pounds) announced Wednesday on social media that he will now play for Arizona instead of Washington in 2025. Reports in early January suggested he was unlikely to start his career at UW.
Langi, a San Bruno, Calif. native from Archbishop Riordan High School, played alongside four-star receiver Chris Lawson, who remains committed to Washington and has already enrolled for winter quarter. At Arizona, Langi may reunite with his younger brother, Michael Langi, a three-star offensive lineman in the 2026 class who committed to the Wildcats in June 2024.
Still, Washington’s freshman offensive line group remains strong. Taulealea, the highest-rated lineman in UW’s 2025 class, was a four-star recruit. Shaffer and Mills, both projected as tackles, stand at 6-foot-6 and weigh over 320 pounds. Flores and Colman-Brusa are listed at 295 and 300 pounds, respectively. Taulealea, Flores, Mills, and Shaffer have all enrolled in time for the winter quarter.
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