UW adds transfer talent up front with San Diego State OT Drew Azzopardi, Montana State DL Sebastian Valdez
SEATTLE – While Washington needs to reload its personnel this offseason …
The transfer portal provides.
The Huskies added a potential contributor on each line Monday, in San Diego State right tackle Drew Azzopardi and Montana State defensive lineman Sebastian Valdez. They add to a Husky haul that features five transfers in the last four days – including Mississippi State quarterback Will Rogers, Vanderbilt linebacker Ethan Barr and Arizona State edge B.J. Green.
And like UW’s other newcomers, Azzopardi and Valdez’s additions each address obvious needs. The Huskies could lose both starting offensive tackles this offseason, with junior left tackle Troy Fautanu and sophomore right tackle Roger Rosengarten both potentially declaring for the NFL draft.
Together, Fautanu and Rosengarten anchored an offensive line that surrendered just 11 sacks in 2023 (fifth in the nation) and seven sacks in 2022 (second).
Azzopardi – who started six games this fall as a redshirt freshman right tackle at San Diego State – could immediately contribute. The 6-foot-7, 315-pounder has three seasons of remaining eligibility, and chose the Huskies over offers from Arizona, UCLA, Arizona State, TCU, Houston, Cal, Kentucky, Oregon State and UNLV. Azzopardi was named the Aztecs’ outstanding offensive freshman this fall.
Meanwhile, Valdez (6-3, 284) – who has one season of eligibility – produced 122 tackles, 24 tackles for loss, 16 sacks and two forced fumbles in three seasons and 39 games at Montana State. That included 40 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and five sacks in 12 games this fall. A Spring Valley, Calif., product, Valdez earned first-team All-Big Sky honors in 2022 and second-team honors in 2023.
Valdez could help fill a void left by departing senior starters Tuli Letuligasenoa and Ulumoo Ale. Veteran juniors Faatui Tuitele and Jacob Bandes and sophomore Jayvon Parker also return.
Azzopardi and Valdez will both join the Huskies for the winter quarter in January.
At which point, the competition will commence.