The first commitment as a result of Washington’s DawgHouse Weekend has come. On Tuesday, three-star Servite High School linebacker Isaiah Leilua announced his pledge to the Huskies and coach Jedd Fisch, becoming the eighth commit in the 2027 recruiting class and the sixth defensive addition.
Leilua, a 6-foot, 220-pound prospect has been a productive defender for the Trinity League powerhouse over the past three years, registering 185 total tackles (135 solo), 17 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, 5 pass breakups, and a pair of forced fumbles over 29 games.
Advertisement
UW inside linebackers coach Brian Odom has loaded up in the box with three true players at the position in the ’27 class, offering a future built on athleticism and versatility at the heart of Ryan Walters’ defense.
Although Leilua will need to add at least 10 to 15 pounds to be able to hold up in the Big Ten Conference, his vision is what separates the Southern California native from most other linebackers in his class.
If he ends up moving back to safety or is utilized as a taller nickel, his skill set is worthy of taking, and why over a dozen other schools, including Auburn, Michigan, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Tennessee, and Penn State, among others, that elected to extend Leilua an offer.
Advertisement
In the end, he chose the Huskies over former Pac-12 Conference rival Stanford, which, on a different note, is a worthy victory given recent flips by Dre Pollard and Wassie Lugolobi, who pledged their future at one point to UW but ended up signing with the Cardinal in the 2026 cycle.
Securing Leilua relatively early in the calendar is significant, given the top 50-ranked linebacker by 247Sports and Rivals only played six games last season due to a shoulder injury. Now fully healthy and expected to return to his former productive form as a freshman and sophomore that saw him finish with 158 total tackles (116 solo), 10 tackles for loss, and 5 sacks, often standing just behind the Friars’ defensive line before the snap and more often than not finding himself in the backfield and making an impact.
Adding Leilua to a class that has solid size with Titus Osterman, at 6-foot-4, and twin brothers Ethan and Justin Coach at 6-foot-3, gives both Odom and Walters ample flexibility and versatility, potentially able to play all three at one time or some combination of the two — and Leilua potentially dropping back or playing more of a rover role for the Huskies once he arrives on campus.
Advertisement
This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: New Washington LB Commit Isaiah Leilua Brings Production, Versatility
