Landing Pledge from Top-Ranked Recruit Derek Colman-Brusa by UW

Derek Colman-Brusa: The Top Prospect Choosing His People Over Facilities

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Derek Colman-Brusa, the top-ranked football prospect in Washington for the 2026 recruiting cycle, has chosen his people over the glamour of world-class facilities and historic stadiums.

Offered his first scholarship by Kalen DeBoer, before he even stepped on a high-school football field, Colman-Brusa held offers from schools in each of the country's Power Four conferences. But after visiting and weighing his options, he realized that it's the people that matter most.

"All these programs - they're always going to have the best weight room," he said. "It's the same football field. The same everything. It's just the people that's different, so I was just trying to find the right people for me."

Choosing UW out of a final three that also included Oregon and Ohio State, Colman-Brusa's commitment is a major recruiting win for the Huskies and coach Jedd Fisch. In consecutive years, UW has signed the top player in the state, first with Bethel linebacker Zaydrius Rainey-Sale during the 2024 cycle.

Colman-Brusa will now have the opportunity to play alongside his brother, Lowen Colman-Brusa, an offensive lineman who signed with UW's 2024 recruiting class.

Derek's decision to commit to UW was nearly three years in the making. The Huskies offered him just months after he completed eighth grade, and it began a stream of recruiting attention that brought him scholarships from programs like Michigan, Stanford, Tennessee, UCLA, and USC, among several others.

Ohio State and Oregon, however, stood out early. Derek, having grown up idolizing Joey Bosa and Nick Bosa, saw a chance to work with defensive line coach Larry Johnson, who guided the brothers, NFL stars, to three Big Ten defensive lineman of the year awards.

Oregon got on Derek's radar because they made him feel like a priority. Ducks coaches constantly texted him minutes after his games at Kennedy Catholic had ended, praising his play, and Derek was impressed by their attention to detail in breaking down his film and envisioning him in their defense.

While Derek considered his football future, his play on the field continued to live up to his high rankings. Registering two sacks in just five games as a freshman, he devoted himself to a rigorous offseason regimen before his sophomore season, which paid immediate dividends—registering 14 sacks and 19 tackles for a loss during the 2023 season and adding 10 sacks and 25 tackles for a loss as a junior.

Turning down offers from some of the top football programs in the nation, Colman-Brusa takes a gamble on the Huskies in the hope that he has chosen the right people for him. With his commitment, he brings a wealth of talent, leadership, and potential to a Washington defense that's set to see a massive boost.

Despite numerous offers from prestigious sports programs in the American Football scene, such as the Seahawks and NCAA Football powerhouses like Oregon and Ohio State, Derek Colman-Brusa chose the University of Washington, valuing people over glamorous facilities.
Remarkably, Derek received his first scholarship from Kalen DeBoer even before stepping on a high-school football field, and he held offers from schools in every Power Four conference.
Ultimately, Colman-Brusa realized that the people were the most crucial factor in his decision, choosing UW out of a final three that included Oregon and Ohio State.
This commitment serves as a significant recruiting win for the Huskies and coach Jedd Fisch, following the signing of the top player in the state, Bethel linebacker Zaydrius Rainey-Sale, in the previous year.
In addition to his own talent, Colman-Brusa will have the opportunity to play alongside his brother, Lowen Colman-Brusa, an offensive lineman who signed with UW's 2024 recruiting class.
Derek's decision, made over a period of three years, started when the Huskies offered him just months after he completed eighth grade, leading to a steady flow of recruitment attention and scholarships from top programs like Michigan, Stanford, Tennessee, UCLA, USC, and more.
Despite turning down offers from some of the top football programs in the nation, Colman-Brusa took a risk on the Huskies, hopeful that he has selected the right people for his future and will bring considerable talent, leadership, and potential to a Washington defense expected to receive a massive boost.