Washington Football: Kasen Williams and the 5 Future Huskies Superstars

Washington has had great recruiting classes for both of head coach Steve Sarkisian's years at UW, sporting 31 signees in 2010 and a not-too-shabby 23 in the 2011 class.

If this 2011 recruiting class yields anything like the 2010 slate, UW may be the team to keep an eye on in the new Pac-12.

Here are the top athletes that UW has in its arsenal that are ready for their rise to stardom.

Kasen Williams

Ranked as the No. 2 high school wide receiver in the nation by Scout.com, WR Kasen Williams has a litany of accomplishments, from first-team All-American to Parade All-America National Player of the Year, which makes him a rising star even before he steps out in Husky Stadium.

Williams is a triple threat, using his size and speed to his advantage, not to mention his ability to launch himself skyward (he won the state 4A championship in the high jump at 6’10”).

Wrapping up his high school career with 4,121 receiving yards and 56 receiving touchdowns on 235 receptions, Williams has a chance to immediately make a big impact for UW.

Chris Polk

You couldn't have rising stars list (at least on a national level) without mentioning RB Chris Polk.

Rushing for 1,415 yards last season, Polk is the center of the Huskies offense and rightly so.

Polk will provide an outlet for new QB Keith Price when pressure in the pocket gets too much.

This coupled with Polk's monster ability to push through five defenders at a time will only make Polk’s star burn that much brighter.

Did someone mention Heisman?

Austin Seferian-Jenkins

At first glance this kid screams OT, standing a towering 6'6" and weighing 258 pounds, but coach Steve Sarkisian sees a powerful tight end.

When you watch Austin Seferian-Jenkins play, you can see what Sark is thinking.

He may not be the speediest guy on the field but will be a challenge for smaller defensive backs to bring down.

With a little work on becoming a hands vs. body receiver and some increased speed, Seferian-Jenkins could become a real headache for opposing teams to handle.

Alameda Ta’amu

Washington's defense has had trouble this past season, but senior Alameda Ta'amu could very well single-handedly turn that all around in 2011.

At 6'3" and 330 pounds, Ta'amu is a lot of athlete for opposing teams to keep out of their zones.

Ta'amu had a phenomenal game at the Holiday Bowl with a 10-yard sack and also a 14-yard fumble return, and if that is any indication of his potential, he isn't done yet.

2011 should be the year that Ta'amu steps confidently into the national spotlight as one of the great defensive linemen.

Desmond Trufant

It's hard being the younger brother of an NFL athlete like Seattle Seahawks' Marcus Trufant, but Desmond Trufant has made his own career as a UW cornerback.

Most notable are his achievements against Oregon State, with an astounding six tackles and one interception.

With this double-threat ability, Trufant could be a pillar to lean on in a rebuilding Husky defense, leading a stingy defensive back tandem.

Sean Parker

Playing as a true freshman last season, Sean Parker wreaked havoc across the field with an interception against Oregon State and a litany of tackles against Oregon and Stanford.

In the Spring Game, this safety proved that his young energy and enthusiasm could be a huge asset, flying from sideline to sideline boasting some impressive ball-hawking ability.

Watch out 2011—Parker is ready to explode onto the rising star scene.

Conclusion

If you're not moving ahead, you're falling behind…Coach Sark has ratcheted up the recruiting at UW, posting two strong classes in a row.

There now seems to be a pipeline of solid newcomers making their way to Seattle, and coupled with the already established players there, the future looks particularly bright for the Huskies.