Thompson staying in-state

Washington has been absolutely dominant this year in recruiting the in-state players. That continued on Tuesday when Burien (WA) Kennedy athlete Everrette Thompson decided he wanted to stay close to home and committed to the Huskies.

Thompson, 6-5, 240 pounds is one of the top five players in the state and can play defensive end or tight end at the college level. He was recruited to play on the defensive line by the Huskies and that is where we see his upside the highest as well.

"It was his 18th birthday yesterday and he decided to commit and make it memorable," Thompson's uncle Simi Strickland said. "He took his visit to Oregon State last weekend and they really did a great job but it all came down to Everrette just really wanting to stay close to home.

"He knows that when his playing days are done, he wants to live in Seattle. So in terms of alumni support and being able to network, it just made so much sense for him to play for UW. He talked with his parents a lot about that and that was really a big factor to him.

"UW is bringing in a great class this year and I know he's excited about that and then the fact that Jake Locker is there, that's a big deal too. For a lot of the in-state kids, Locker's presense really means a lot. I think all the kids really respect him as a leader and want to play with a guy like that."

In addition to the Huskies and Oregon State, Thompson also visited Oregon and held offers from several other schools including Washington State, Cal and Boise State.