Washington Football: 5 breakout candidates for 2017

Washington football is looking to get back to the College Football Playoff in 2017, but it needs these guys to break out.

Just a year ago, Washington football was preparing for its third season with Chris Petersen at the helm. The former Boise State head coach had compiled a 15-12 record in his first two years in Seattle and was looking to finally break out of the Pac-12’s middle-tier and into the elite conversation.

Unfortunately, he’d have to do so with perennial contenders such as USC, UCLA, Stanford, Oregon and Utah all returning plenty of talent. However, the Huskies broke through and won the Pac-12 title over a surprise team in Colorado.

Moreover, the Huskies were chosen to represent the conference in the College Football Playoff — Washington’s first-ever invitation. Alabama had its way with the Huskies, though, winning 24-7 before falling in the title game to Clemson.

Still, it was an improvement year for Washington and something for Petersen to build on. With plenty of returning talent to the 2017 team, the Huskies are going to also need some breakout stars in order to make it past USC and into the playoff once again.

Here are the top five breakout candidates for 2017.

One of the top incoming players in Washington’s 2017 recruiting class is four-star receiver Ty Jones from Provo, Utah. The Army All-American is an intriguing talent for Petersen as he looks to be the biggest target in the receiving corps.

Jake Browning would love a red zone target like Jones who stands 6-foot-4 and who has reportedly added some weight to his 195-pound frame since stepping foot onto campus. That type of target doesn’t come around often and if the No. 83 prospect in the nation, according to 247Sports, can live up to the hype, Washington could have a field day with defenses.

Obviously Browning was already an elite quarterback, but give him another weapon like Jones and you might just have the top performing gunslinger in the Pac-12.