Washington Huskies lose Jonathan Epperson Jr. to transfer portal

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Washington linebacker Jonathan Epperson Jr. warms up for a game at UCLA on Nov. 22, 2025 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. (Dean Rutz / The Seattle Times)

Washington linebacker Jonathan Epperson Jr. warms up for a game at UCLA on Nov. 22, 2025 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. (Dean Rutz / The Seattle Times)

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Percy Allen
By
Percy Allen

Seattle Times staff reporter

The depth at linebacker for the Washington Huskies got a little thinner when linebacker Jonathan Epperson Jr. became the 18th UW player to enter the transfer portal.

Epperson, a former four-star recruit from Auburn Riverside High, appeared in just one game last season and the 6-foot, 225-pound redshirt freshman did not record a tackle during Washington’s 38-10 win against Boise State in the LA Bowl.

The Huskies appear to be loaded at linebacker with starters Xe’ree Alexander and Jacob Manu, who had 70 and 24 tackles last season, which ranked second and 11th on the team, respectively.

UW backups Zaydrius Rainey-Sale (21 tackles) and Taariq Al-Uqdah (15) are also slated to return.

Epperson received scholarship offers from Oregon, USC, Washington State, Oregon State and Arizona. He was headed to the Wildcats and coach Jedd Fisch before Fisch took the UW job in January 2024.

Epperson announced his decision to join the Huskies on June 24, 2024 and had difficulty getting on the field. Despite the lack of playing time, he was named UW’s scout team most valuable player last season.


Parker twins on the move​

A day after his twin brother Armon stepped into the portal, Jayvon Parker joined him with an announcement Saturday morning.


The 6-3, 330-pound defensive tackle and Detroit native came to Washington in 2022 and played in 26 games while tallying 19 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

His UW career effectively came to a close when he tore his Achilles at Rutgers on Sept. 27, 2024 and missed the rest of the season. Jayvon Parker played three snaps last season, but didn’t register a tackle in the Michigan game.

Losing the Parker twins depletes Washington’s defensive line, which lost Simote Pepa, Logan Sagapolu, Anterio Thompson, and Ta’ita’i Uiagalelei to graduation while Bryce Butler entered the portal.

The Huskies have added transfers DeSean Watts, Darin Conley and Kai McClendon to replenish the defensive front.




Percy Allen: pallen@seattletimes.com. Percy Allen is a sports reporter for The Seattle Times, where he writes about the University of Washington Huskies men’s and women’s basketball teams and the Seattle Storm.
 
I really wish the portal entry rules were different. I don’t like this drip drip drip of portal entries over time.

I’d much rather these guys being forced to announce their intention prior to the portal opening and then submit their paperwork on portal opening day. If you don’t get your name entered in the first 24 hours, too bad.
 
CFetters_Nacho_Lover said:
I really wish the portal entry rules were different. I don’t like this drip drip drip of portal entries over time.

I’d much rather these guys being forced to announce their intention prior to the portal opening and then submit their paperwork on portal opening day. If you don’t get your name entered in the first 24 hours, too bad.
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I love that. Would be great to know how many are leaving and how many we should expect to come in right off the bat.
 
This seems to be the perfect example of a why portal entry that ends up possibly being a loss on all sides all in the name of playing early. Definitely seems like a guy who probably would benefit from development and play 3-4 years into college but instead will go where to play as early as possible just to do it. This is total speculation but seems odd. Given UW's LB room and the reps he got last spring he would be set up to play a lot in 2027 and would get reps in 2026.

If UW nudged him it creates and continues a cycle of just having to take portal guys or play true freshmen who aren't ready yet.
 
WoolleyDoog said:
This seems to be the perfect example of a why portal entry that ends up possibly being a loss on all sides all in the name of playing early. Definitely seems like a guy who probably would benefit from development and play 3-4 years into college but instead will go where to play as early as possible just to do it. This is total speculation but seems odd. Given UW's LB room and the reps he got last spring he would be set up to play a lot in 2027 and would get reps in 2026.

If UW nudged him it creates and continues a cycle of just having to take portal guys or play true freshmen who aren't ready yet.
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They have 3 seniors and ZRS in the rotation next year. If any one of them goes down Ramzac at 6’4” and Donovan Robinson at 6’3” will be first off the bench. Fruean is in school now and the coaches love him. 2027 will be junior ZRS, sophomore Ramzac and RS Soph Robinson all big, tall and rangy athletes. Lots of dudes to choose from as of right now. Not super worried about Epperson.
 
theknowledge said:
They have 3 seniors and ZRS in the rotation next year. If any one of them goes down Ramzac at 6’4” and Donovan Robinson at 6’3” will be first off the bench. Fruean is in school now and the coaches love him. 2027 will be junior ZRS, sophomore Ramzac and RS Soph Robinson all big, tall and rangy athletes. Lots of dudes to choose from as of right now. Not super worried about Epperson.
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We might have those three guys in 2027.
 
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