Washington adds 2022 four-star running back semester early

Fort Worth (Texas) Nolan Catholic four-star running back Emeka Megwa isn’t waiting until January to enroll at the University of Washington. The program announced his decision to enroll early, effective Sept. 29, on Wednesday.

The young running back responded to the program’s announcement tweet with a single word: “Blessed!“

Megwa committed to the Huskies on July 1 over offers from 36 other D-I programs, including Alabama, Notre Dame and Texas. Running backs coach and special teams coordinator Keith Bhonapha led the recruiting effort for the highly-touted prospect.

According to the press release from Washington Athletics, Megwa is already on the Washington campus. He’ll begin classes on Monday.

The 6-foot-1, 220-pound running back played all three seasons of his short high school career at Nolan Catholic. However, Megwa announced in January of his junior year that he’d be transferring to Timber Creek High in Keller, Texas. An injury kept him from seeing the field for Timber Creek, but he is on the Maxpreps roster.

At Nolan Catholic, he rushed for 730 yards and 12 touchdowns on 133 carries. The Vikings battled to an 8-1 record in the abbreviated 2020 football season. He was a first-team all-state and all-district selection as a junior.
 
As a sophomore in 2019, he helped Nolan to an 11-1 record and the quarterfinals of the state’s private school Division I playoffs, earning first-team all-state and district MVP. In 2019, e rushed for 1,786 yards and 27 scores. As a freshman in 2018, he 86 carries for 576 yards as the Vikings finished 9-2.

Four-star Megwa gives Huskies a talent infusion

The 2021 football season is fully underway with three weeks of games in the books. The Washington Huskies started the season with losses to Montana and No. 9 Michigan before bouncing back for a win versus Arkansas State.

Emeka Megwa effectively joins the Huskies’ 2021 freshman class, which had room to spare. Jimmy Lake signed 16 high school prospects and five transfers for this year’s squad, bringing the total to 22 with the addition of the four-star RB. The class now has two running backs, including fellow Texas native Caleb Berry.

As a four-star prospect, Megwa is one of the top-five new additions for the Huskies. Sam Huard out of Bellevue (Wash.) Kennedy Catholic topped the class at No. 45 in the On3 top 300 for 2021.

The Huskies hit the gridiron again on Saturday at 9:30 p.m. ET versus Cal at home.

Quinn Ewers sparks trend

It’s too early to say whether Emeka Megwa opted to enroll early at Washington due to NIL rules in the state of Texas, but that was the deciding factor for five-star quarterback Quinn Ewers.

The former Southlake (Texas) Carroll signal-caller chose to enroll a season early and has since cashed in on NIL deals totaling more than $1.4 million.

Like Ewers, Megwa may struggle to get reps right away but it’s a direct and immediate infusion of talent for Washington regardless.