Washington

Unpacking Future Packers: No. 99, Washington edge rusher Zion Tupuola-Fetui

Published

2 years ago

January 1, 2024

Unpacking Future Packers: No. 99, Washington edge rusher Zion Tupuola-Fetui

The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects who could be selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 2024 NFL draft.

When Zion Tupuola-Fetui takes the field against the Texas Longhorns on New Year’s Day, it could mark the final time the edge rusher dons a Washington Husky uniform. If so, it’s been quite the journey for the former three-star recruit from Hawaii.

During his first season on campus, ZTF played in just two games to preserve his redshirt status. It wasn’t until the 2020 COVID-19 shortened season that ZTF started his first collegiate game. In just four games, he recorded seven sacks and 20 pressures.

Then, in spring ball leading up to the 2021 season, he tore his Achilles. He returned after missing five games to open the season and recorded one sack before missing the final two games due to a concussion.

In 2022, ZTF recorded 4.5 sacks, 5.5 tackles for loss and 32 pressures. He enters the College Football Playoff matchup against Texas with five tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and 24 pressures. It’s a season in which ZTF lost his father in the middle of the season.

Zion Tupuola-Fetui, whose father passed away only a month ago, was emotional while running out to hug his mom ahead of the game ❤️
It would have been his mom and dad’s 26th anniversary today 💔🙏 pic.twitter.com/h7STMOyHjH
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 25, 2023

“Zion has been an important part of the pass rush plan,” Roman Tomashoff, a UW writer for SI.com, said. “With a lot of youth behind him, he has been asked to play a ton of snaps and has done a great job, especially developing in run support.”

A big hurdle for ZTF during the pre-draft process will be his medicals. After suffering a torn Achilles back in the spring of 2021, the UW edge rusher has worked his way back to form. A few years removed from that injury, the former three-star recruit put together his best season since the breakout 2020 campaign.

So good to see #Washington DE/LB Zion Tupuola-Fetui (#58) back on the field Saturday after tearing his Achilles only 6 months ago.
Still a dude. pic.twitter.com/kn5VgQn7PM
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) October 18, 2021

“He displayed far more athleticism this season and he was really impressive with his get-off,” Tomashoff said. “He has lined up all over the formation to display his athleticism, he even took a few pass rush snaps where he lined up at inside linebacker.”

ZTF has adequate initial quickness off the snap and converts speed to power. He has powerful, active hands. The former three-star recruit displays natural pass-rush instincts and has a deep bag of tricks to get after the quarterback. He uses his long strides to quickly close on the quarterback.

“He offers a lot of speed,” Tomashoff said. “While he’s lost some of the power he had playing at 280 pounds he’s developed more of a pass rush plan and has improved with counter moves.”

ZTF is an inconsistent edge-setter. He’s powerful at the point of attack, but the consistency from snap to snap is lacking. He can get skinny and shoot gaps to disrupt the action in the backfield.

“He emphasized a commitment to setting the edge all spring and fall,” Tomashoff said. “While it is still clearly coming along, he has certainly made strides in that department.”

Fit with the Packers

A team can never have enough pass rushers and as it stands right now the Green Bay Packers have a formidable stable of edge rushers. Rashan Gary, Preston Smith, Lukas Van Ness and Kingsley Enagbare are all scheduled to return next season and it’s safe to assume that Van Ness will see an uptick in snaps during his second year in the league.

What if the Packers move on from Smith? The veteran edge rusher will turn 32 in March and could wind up being a cap casualty. On top of that the Packers may be comfortable moving Van Ness into a starting role next season.

Regardless of what happens with Smith, if a team thinks they have enough edge rushers they should add another for insurance. ZTF is slated to be a day-three pick and would provide Green Bay with quality depth and a player who once looked like a potential Top 50 pick before suffering a torn Achilles.

On top of everything that ZTF brings to the football field, he’s a leader and a player who will likely interview well during the pre-draft process.

“I think he can be a really good rotational piece along the defensive line as a pass rusher,” Tomashoff said. “Zion has matured over the past few seasons and has grown as a leader, and offers a lot in terms of his potential because he still seems to be learning to play at a lighter weight.”

ZTF projects as a rotational edge rusher. With his pass-rushing upside, the Packers could roll the dice on the Washington edge rusher on day three of the 2024 NFL Draft as they look to add more depth on the edge.

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Bill strengthening Washington child sex abuse material laws focuses on consciousness, AI

Published

4 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Bill strengthening Washington child sex abuse material laws focuses on consciousness, AI

SEATTLE — A bill aimed at tightening Washington’s laws on child sex abuse material is headed to Gov. Bob Ferguson’s desk after clearing the Legislature unanimously.

King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion said 2ESSB 5105 passed the House unanimously Tuesday night after the Senate unanimously approved it on Jan. 28, 2026.

SEE ALSO | Washington exempts clergy from reporting abuse learned in confession after settlement

Manion called the measure one of her public safety legislative priorities.

“People who peddle in the misery of sexually abused children must be held accountable,” Manion said. “I am grateful for the work of Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Laura Harmon – both in prosecuting these cases and advocating for these legal fixes – and Senators Tina Orwall and Manka Dhingra for championing this legislation.”

Manion’s office said the current state law has gaps that can prevent prosecutors from holding offenders accountable in some cases.

Under current law, prosecutors cannot charge defendants for creating images of child sex abuse unless the child victim was conscious or knew they were being recorded.

The office also said that possessing sexually explicit fabricated (AI) images of non-identifiable minors is not considered child sex abuse material under Washington law.

The bill would update RCW 9.68A.040 to remove the requirement that a child be aware of an abusive recording. It would also update the definition of child sex abuse material to include fabricated (AI) images of non-identifiable minors.

The legislation would also increase the statute of limitations to 10 years for depiction crimes. Manion’s office said the current statute of limitations is three years, and argued that because the images can remain online indefinitely, victims can be re-traumatized for decades.

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Utah Starts Road Trip with Win in Washington | Utah Mammoth

Published

16 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Utah Starts Road Trip with Win in Washington | Utah Mammoth

Both of Utah’s power play units scored in the win. Sergachev scored his 10^th goal of the season on the power play 13 and a half minutes into the first period. Peterka scored his 21^st of the season, on the man-advantage, in the final two minutes of the middle frame.

Peterka has three power play goals in the 2025-26 campaign while Sergachev has matched a career-high with five power play goals this season. Overall, Utah’s power play has scored six goals in the last six games. That output matches the Mammoth’s total from their previous 18 games (per Mammoth PR). Tourigny discussed what’s changed with the team’s performance in recent games.

“(The) puck gets in,” Tourigny laughed. “But, no, I think there’s a number of things. The most important thing is we’re aggressive. We’re attacking.

“…If you look at our goal, the first one, it’s a direct play to the net and then on the loose puck recovery we take a shot with traffic and we score,” Tourigny continued. “On the second one, it’s a slot pass, a great shot by (Peterka). I think we had that attack mindset.”

Guenther, who is on the Mammoth’s top power play unit, agreed with Tourigny’s assessment of attacking more.

“I think just attacking, less predictable,” Guenther explained. “Shooting it more, I think (it is) just work really. Trying to play like a 5-on-5 mindset but on the (power play).”

The Mammoth made several line changes for tonight’s game and the new lines started to find chemistry, despite it being the first game with these changes.

“I like them,” Tourigny said of the changes. “Obviously (Guenther) got a goal, but Cooley’s line was really good. I was looking at the expected goals at the end, I think they were above 90%. So that’s pretty, pretty awesome. Then I think (Barrett Hayton’s) line worked really hard. They’re heavy on pucks and they play well defensively. I did like (Michael Carcone’s) line in (the) previous three games, and I did like them again tonight.”

When Washington pushed back with a power play goal and multiple close chances in the third period, Utah fought hard against the momentum swing to secure the win.

“I thought we did a pretty good job,” Keller explained. “Weathering the storm as much as we could. They’re a great veteran team. They made it hard on us. They pressured us all over the ice, but I was proud of the way we fought there towards the end.”

Utah’s bench was positive and calm throughout the game, especially late in the third. This helped the Mammoth through the momentum swings. Keller, who had two assists in the win, was one of the key voices for the Mammoth.

“He’s one of the guys who was really positive on the bench,” Tourigny explained. “(All the players) were but (Keller) was really vocal. He was really good energy on the bench. So that was really good.”

Additional Notes from Tonight (per Mammoth PR)

Guenther had two points in the win (1G, 1A) and the forward has earned a team-high nine points (5G, 4A) through six road games in 2026. He has become the third Mammoth skater to reach the 50-point mark this season (28G, 23A) and established a new career-high in goals.

Sergachev has 18 power play points this season (5G, 13A) and is tied with Keller for the team lead this season.

Keller has recorded multiple primary assists in a game for the seventh time this season and the 27^th time in his NHL career. He has now tallied multiple points in four of his last six contests (2G, 8A), with three multi-assist outings over that span.

The Mammoth continue their five-game road trip in Philadelphia on Thursday night. Game time is 5 p.m. MT and available to watch on Mammoth+ and Utah16.

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Commanders 2026 Mock Draft Madness 5.0

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

The views and opinions expressed in this article do not reflect the opinion of the team.

In anticipation of the 2026 NFL Draft, which will be held April 23 – 25 at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, here’s a compilation of various league experts’ predictions about what the Washington Commanders will do with the No. 7 overall pick. Check back weekly until the draft for more updates.

Expert: Nate Davis, USA Today

Selection: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State (March 2)

Analysis: Is he the best defender in this draft? Arguably. Can he play exceptionally in the slot, box or center field? Yep. And Washington could need a leader who can make plays behind the line given the potential departure of LB Bobby Wagner, who will be 36 next season, in free agency.

Expert: Brent Sobleski, Bleacher Report

Selection: Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami (March 2)

Analysis: At Miami last season, he was easily one of the top two or three players in all of college football. He has explosive power and quickness to work up and down the line of scrimmage. His play is everything a team wants in a high first-round selection.

Expert: Jordan Reid, ESPN

Selection: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State (March 3)

Analysis: Downs is one of the smartest football players I’ve ever studied. His football IQ, versatility on the back end and sure tackling ability make him a worthy selection at this spot even though a safety hasn’t been drafted in the top 10 since 2017 (Jamal Adams). Washington gave up a lot of explosive passing plays last season, with opponents averaging 8.1 yards per attempt (third worst in the NFL). The Commanders also had a mere eight interceptions in 2025, which was the fourth worst in the league. Downs could help them improve in both areas.

Expert: Lance Zierlein, NFL.com

Selection: Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami (March 2)

Analysis: This pick would fade the historical norm for edge defenders with shorter arms, but Bain can rush the passer and is a block destructor against the run. Just a damn-good football player.

Expert: Jaime Eisner, The Draft Network

Selection: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State (March 2)

Analysis: Sonny Styles is the kind of dynamic player the Commanders desperately need on the second level. He offers a rare combination of energy, versatility, and pass-rush ability. The fact that he’s already excelled as the green dot for Ohio State proves he has the leadership and high football IQ to be an instant starter and the commander of the Washington defense. Styles wowed with his measurables and athleticism at the NFL Combine.

Expert: Nate Tice and Charles McDonald

Selection: David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech (March 2)

Analysis: As tempting as it will be to add an offensive player of some kind here, with tasty options at offensive line, wide receiver, tight end and running back, the Commanders instead add firepower to a defense that has to get faster, younger and just straight up better. Bailey is an explosive pass rusher who is constantly attacking offensive tackles. He will never be a strong run defender, but he has long arms (measured at 33 ¾ inches at the combine) and has improved in that area. Bailey is the exact type of talent injection this defense needs.

Expert: Ryan Wilson, CBS Sports

Selection: Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State (March 2)

Analysis: Could Reese fall to No. 7? It seems like a long shot, but if the Bills trade up for a WR, things can get interesting quickly. This is a best-case scenario for the Commanders, who have to upgrade their pass rush.

Expert: Trevor Sikkema, Pro Football Focus

Selection: Rueben Bain, EDGE, Miami (March 2)

Analysis: Bain measured in with short arms (sub-31 inches), but we already knew that would happen. That doesn’t change his tape or the fact that he is one of the top three-down defensive linemen in the class. He would immediately be the biggest difference maker on the Commanders’ defensive line after racking up the most pressures (83) in college football this past season.

Expert: Henry McKenna, FOX Sports

Selection: Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State (Feb. 26)

Analysis: Dan Quinn was in Dallas when the Cowboys had the inspired idea to convert Micah Parsons into a pass-rusher. Can Quinn do it again with Reese?

Expert: Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News

Selection: David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech (March 2)

Analysis: The Commanders should be prepared to jump on Bailey should he fall here after his freakish athletic profile was on display at the Combine. Dan Quinn needs this level of dynamic pass rusher who also has rare dropback coverage skills outside.

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