Oregon vs Washington (2026) Top Lineups & Recruits - Defense

Here we break down the NW's top athletes and which state would represent in a mock competition between Washington and Oregon.    Washington has the advantage with 2x the population, but Oregon has done a good job over the last few years with its HS teams (West Linn, Central Catholic) beating their NW rivals. Have a look at the 2026 class and how they compare.          OREGON DEFENSE    DL [player_tooltip player_id='769915' first='Noah' last='Tishendorf'] 26' Lakeridge COMMITTED: Oregon St   DL [player_tooltip player_id='739439' first='Tony' last='Cumberland'] 26' Willamette COMMITTED: Oregon    DL [player_tooltip player_id='1636610' first='Viliami' last='Moala'] 26' Willamette COMMITTED: Oregon    DL [player_tooltip player_id='770047' first='John' last='Ching'] 26' Jesuit    DL [player_tooltip player_id='1403779' first='Charlie' last='Dexter'] 26' Churchill    LB [player_tooltip player_id='457009' first='Sam' last='Vyhlidal'] 26' Mountainside OFFERS (14) Ariz St, Arizona, UNLV, San Diego St, San Jose St   LB [player_tooltip player_id='402406' first='Donnie' last='Vercher III'] 26' Central Catholic OFFERS (9) Boise St, San Diego St, UNLV, Air Force   LB [player_tooltip player_id='1585693' first='Jack' last='Tuenge'] 26' Jesuit OFFERS (3) Utah St, Air Force   LB [player_tooltip player_id='1112405' first='Kilian' last='Eddleman'] 26' Lakeridge    LB [player_tooltip player_id='1059015' first='Justin' last='Craigwell'] 26' Lake Oswego    LB [player_tooltip player_id='777410' first='Roman' last='Mallard'] 26' Jesuit    LB [player_tooltip player_id='769921' first='Silas' last='Reynolds'] 26' West Linn   DB [player_tooltip player_id='1110921' first='Chaz' last='Katoanga'] 26' Nelson OFFERS (4) Air Force, Portland St   DB [player_tooltip player_id='770006' first='Joe' last='Stimpson'] 26' Jesuit OFFERS (4) Montana, Idaho, Nevada   DB [player_tooltip player_id='1585700' first='Cole' last='Thomas'] 26' Central Catholic OFFERS (1) Penn    DB [player_tooltip player_id='914282' first='James' last='Wade'] 26' Grant    DB [player_tooltip player_id='402418' first='Marcus' last='Post'] 26' Lakeridge   DB [player_tooltip player_id='1234612' first='Jalen' last='Bauman'] 26' Lake Oswego    DB [player_tooltip player_id='769995' first='Evan' last='Wusstig'] 26' West Salem OFFERS (1) Portland St   DB [player_tooltip player_id='1169947' first='Hudson' last='Gasperson'] 26' Lake Oswego            WASHINGTON DEFENSE   DL [player_tooltip player_id='402789' first='Derek' last='Colman-Brusa'] 26' Kennedy Catholic OFFERS (17) Washington, Oregon, Ohio St, USC, UCLA   DL [player_tooltip player_id='284217' first='FA' last='Siale'] 26' O'Dea OFFERS (17) Washington, Cal, Michigan St, Arizona St   DL [player_tooltip player_id='402788' first='David' last='Schwerzel'] 26' O'Dea OFFERS (15) UCLA, Washington, Cal, Stanford, Michigan St    DL [player_tooltip player_id='1568782' first='Adel' last='Dorr'] 26' Issaquah OFFERS (8) Boise St, Oregon St, San Diego St, Washington St    DL [player_tooltip player_id='1354431' first='Jeremiah' last='Nonu'] 26' O'Dea OFFERS (10) Oregon St, Sac St, Utah St, Montana, Montana St   DL [player_tooltip player_id='1544388' first='Shaun' last='Griffith'] 26' Sumner    DL [player_tooltip player_id='1589204' first='Skyler' last='Harty'] 26' Central Valley    LB [player_tooltip player_id='936091' first='Colby' last='Johnson'] 26' Eastlake OFFERS (5) Arizona, Wash St, San Diego St   LB [player_tooltip player_id='402799' first='Wassie' last='Lugolobi'] 26' Eastside Catholic COMMITTED: Stanford   LB [player_tooltip player_id='726154' first='Ta'u' last='Mareko'] 26' Lakes OFFERS (6) Boise St, Washington, Hawaii, Idaho   LB [player_tooltip player_id='1589190' first='Garrett' last='Miller'] 26' Mead   LB [player_tooltip player_id='1576633' first='Dillon' last='Titialii'] 26' Sumner OFFERS (1) Portland St   LB [player_tooltip player_id='1165398' first='Austin' last='Glivar'] 26' Sumner   LB [player_tooltip player_id='1165346' first='Shan' last='Jones'] 26' Mount Tahoma   DB [player_tooltip player_id='1165368' first='Elijah' last='Durr'] 26' Mount Tahoma COMMITTED: Washington    DB [player_tooltip player_id='726165' first='Jasiah' last='Denmark'] 26' Puyallup OFFERS (12) Cal, Washington, Boise St, UNLV, San Diego St   DB [player_tooltip player_id='1589232' first='Jake' last='Young'] 26' Central Valley    DB [player_tooltip player_id='1589207' first='Jacobe' last='McClelland'] 26' Gonzaga Prep    DB [player_tooltip player_id='726174' first='Israel' last='Nabors'] 26' Sumner OFFERS (4) Utah St, Montana St, Idaho, Sac St   DB [player_tooltip player_id='1582216' first='Cade' last='Boehl'] 26' Eastside Catholic   DB [player_tooltip player_id='1589218' first='Jack' last='Pierce'] 26' Gonzaga Prep    DB [player_tooltip player_id='1582208' first='Kayden' last='Steptoe'] 26' Roosevelt OFFERS (2) Washington, Bowling Green           DEFENSIVE SUMMARY: The strongest positional group in the NW is on the D line with eight big time recruits headlining the position. Three of WA's top four overall prospects for the 2026 class are guys up front, with the state's #1 player [player_tooltip player_id='402789' first='Derek' last='Colman-Brusa'] ranking as the #16 Edge rusher in America. O'Dea teammates [player_tooltip player_id='284217' first='FA' last='Siale'] and [player_tooltip player_id='402788' first='David' last='Schwerzel'] are right there behind him with similar offers. All three have a good chance to be Sunday guys.    Oregon features two prospects who have transferred to the revamped Willamette HS, with 4* [player_tooltip player_id='739439' first='Tony' last='Cumberland'] coming from Arizona and 3* [player_tooltip player_id='1636610' first='Viliami' last='Moala'] moving from Utah. Both are committed to the Ducks.    Oregon State got another good one in [player_tooltip player_id='769915' first='Noah' last='Tishendorf']. Much like LaMarcus Bell I think it's going to be tough for OSU to hold on to their in state commits, with both of them projecting as elite prospects and likely landing major offers in the coming months. As good as the D line is in Oregon you have to give the advantage to the Washington group.   [player_tooltip player_id='457009' first='Sam' last='Vyhlidal'] leads the Oregon LB class, now sitting with 14 offers. He is maybe the most versatile athlete in the entire NW, also projecting at TE. Don't be surprised to see some of the nation's top programs go on him before all is said and done. Two other private school kids in [player_tooltip player_id='402406' first='Donnie' last='Vercher III'] of Central Catholic and [player_tooltip player_id='1585693' first='Jack' last='Tuenge'] of Jesuit both have stocks which are rising quickly. Each has landed multiple D1 offers.    The Washington group is led by Stanford commit [player_tooltip player_id='402799' first='Wassie' last='Lugolobi'] who flipped from the Huskies, along with one of the region's fastest rising prospects regardless of position in [player_tooltip player_id='936091' first='Colby' last='Johnson']. The 6-3 220-pound LB ran a 10.8 100 meters and proceeded to blow up from there.     Also, don't sleep on 6-4 LB [player_tooltip player_id='1589190' first='Garrett' last='Miller'] of Mead HS who was the Greater Spokane League POY as a junior. As of right now you have to give Washington the advantage at the position.    The DB's are good across the board with Oregon's [player_tooltip player_id='1110921' first='Chaz' last='Katoanga'] and [player_tooltip player_id='770006' first='Joe' last='Stimpson'] leading the pack with a handful of D1 offers each. Lake O's [player_tooltip player_id='1234612' first='Jalen' last='Bauman'] helped himself out recently, running a 10.7 100 meters.    Washington will feature Husky commit [player_tooltip player_id='1165368' first='Elijah' last='Durr'] and two other high-profile corners in [player_tooltip player_id='726165' first='Jasiah' last='Denmark'] and [player_tooltip player_id='726174' first='Israel' last='Nabors']. That said as the athletes in the secondary out of Spokane look like the real deal, with the GSL once again representing.    It's close when comparing the two states with Washington featuring 13 division 1 offered athletes to Oregon's 10. You would have to give Washington the slight advantage.