The State of WA’s Best Defensive Lineup (2026)
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If we were putting together the best Offensive and Defensive lineup possible in the state of Washington, what would that look like for the class of 2026? Many of these athletes are top recruits but that is not a key…
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If we were putting together the best Offensive and Defensive lineup possible in the state of Washington, what would that look like for the class of 2026? Many of these athletes are top recruits but that is not a key component to this list. Who is the most productive at their given position and what guys do you want leading your team. Those are the factors most heavily weighed. Check it..
*Each side of the ball will have 15 individuals listed with a few backups included..
DEFENSE
DE David Schwerzel David Schwerzel 6'4" | 255 lbs | DL O'Dea | 2026 State WA 6-4 250 O’Dea
DE Derek Colman-Brusa Derek Colman-Brusa 6'4" | 245 lbs | DL Kennedy Catholic | 2026 State WA 6-4 235 Kennedy Catholic
DE Jack Sievers Jack Sievers 6'5" | 220 lbs | ATH Archbishop Murphy | 2026 State WA 6-5 220 Archbishop Murphy
DT FA Siale FA Siale 6'3" | 265 lbs | DL O'Dea | 2026 State WA 6-4 265 O’Dea
DT Hakeim Smalls Hakeim Smalls 6'4" | 260 lbs | DL Archbishop Murphy | 2026 State WA 6-4 260 Archbishop Murphy
LB Wassie Lugolobi Wassie Lugolobi 6'2" | 220 lbs | LB Eastside Catholic | 2026 State WA 6-2 220 Eastside Catholic
LB Ta’u Mareko Ta’u Mareko 6'1" | 220 lbs | LB Lakes | 2026 State WA 6-1 220 Lakes
LB Colby Johnson Colby Johnson 6'3" | 210 lbs | LB Eastlake | 2026 State WA 6-3 210 Eastlake
LB Felix Diaz 5-8 185 Mount Tahoma
DB Zamarie Tellez Zamarie Tellez 5'8" | 165 lbs | DB Federal Way | 2026 State WA 5-9 165 Federal Way
DB Jasiah Denmark Jasiah Denmark 6'0" | 170 lbs | DB Puyallup | 2026 State WA 6-0 170 Puyallup
DB Joey Thomas Joey Thomas 6'1" | 180 lbs | ATH Kennedy Catholic | 2026 State WA III 6-1 170 Kennedy Catholic
DB Dante Saladino Dante Saladino 6'3" | 190 lbs | DB Kennedy Catholic | 2026 State WA 6-3 190 Kennedy Catholic
DB Elijah Durr Elijah Durr 6'1" | 170 lbs | DB Mount Tahoma | 2026 State WA 6-1 170 Mount Tahoma
SUMMARY: The Washington 2026 class has one of the most prominent D lines anywhere in the nation. All five of the individuals listed will play D1 ball, with 27 total division 1 offers among them as of right now. Potential 4*s FA Siale FA Siale 6'3" | 265 lbs | DL O'Dea | 2026 State WA and David Schwerzel David Schwerzel 6'4" | 255 lbs | DL O'Dea | 2026 State WA both earned 2nd team all-league honors and hold a combined 19 offers from the likes of Michigan, Washington, Miami, and Florida St.
Derek Colman-Brusa Derek Colman-Brusa 6'4" | 245 lbs | DL Kennedy Catholic | 2026 State WA had maybe the most impressive defensive season of any sophomore in WA, making 75 tackles, with 19 tackles for loss, and 14 sacks. Archbishop Murphy teammates Jack Sievers Jack Sievers 6'5" | 220 lbs | ATH Archbishop Murphy | 2026 State WA and Hakeim Smalls Hakeim Smalls 6'4" | 260 lbs | DL Archbishop Murphy | 2026 State WA were a big reason for the turnaround helping their team go 6-4 last year after an 0-9 season in 2022.
When looking at the LB’s Wassie Lugolobi Wassie Lugolobi 6'2" | 220 lbs | LB Eastside Catholic | 2026 State WA of Eastside Catholic could end up ranked one of the top players in the nation for his class. His 68 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, and 5 sacks as a sophomore speak to his ridiculous potential. Ta’u Mareko Ta’u Mareko 6'1" | 220 lbs | LB Lakes | 2026 State WA landed a couple D1 offers as a freshman and is looking to build upon that.
Two of the fastest rising LBs in the state include 6-3 210-pound Colby Johnson Colby Johnson 6'3" | 210 lbs | LB Eastlake | 2026 State WA who has great length and can run (11.25) 100 meters. Felix Diaz is undersized for the position but is an absolute baller, racking up 1st team all league honors as a sophomore.
The DB’s will rival any other positional group, with each athlete projecting at the D1 level. On film Zamarie Tellez Zamarie Tellez 5'8" | 165 lbs | DB Federal Way | 2026 State WA looks as good as any player in the state of Washington. He is an unquestioned P5 talent and someone that can counter most question marks when it comes to size. He was one of the only sophomores in the NW to earn 1st team all conference accolades on both sides of the football.
Jasiah Denmark Jasiah Denmark 6'0" | 170 lbs | DB Puyallup | 2026 State WA and Joey Thomas Joey Thomas 6'1" | 180 lbs | ATH Kennedy Catholic | 2026 State WA III both hold a handful of D1 offers with each being considered one of the top DB prospects on the west coast for their class. Denmark was a standout for HEIR on the 7v7 circuit. Elijah Durr Elijah Durr 6'1" | 170 lbs | DB Mount Tahoma | 2026 State WA is another up and coming prospect for Mount Tahoma, landing offers from Arizona and Arizona St.
We’ve talked a lot in recent months about Washington’s top outfielder Dante Saladino Dante Saladino 6'3" | 190 lbs | DB Kennedy Catholic | 2026 State WA . He is a phenomenal safety and someone who could be a multi sport D1 talent. He started as a freshman and already has 10 INTs recorded for his career.