After the Huskies' mock game Saturday, Jedd Fisch all confirmed Fruean will start for the team.
The Washington Huskies football team has a lot of expectations going into this season, having been ranked 17th in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll.
The Huskies are getting closer to determining whether they'll meet, exceed or underachieve in those expectations. UW's season will begin in the Apple Cup against the Washington State Cougars at 1 p.m. PT on Sept. 6 at Husky Stadium in Seattle.
The picture of how Washington's starters, on both offense and defense, became clearer during the Huskies' mock game on Saturday at Husky Stadium in Seattle.
The mock game was handled similar to a typical spring or training camp scrimmage, but there was an interesting clarification from UW head coach Jedd Fisch following the game.
First-year edge rusher Ramzak Fruean was a four-star recruit in the Class of 2026. He was ranked as the 293rd best overall player in the class, the 20th-best edge rusher and second-best player in Washington, per the 247Sports composite.
Per postgame comments from Fisch, which were shared to "X" by Huskies Wire reporter Roman Tomashoff, there's "no doubt" Fruean will start for Washington this season.
Fruean, listed at 6-foot-5, 235 pounds, was expected to be one of the true freshman from the '26 recruiting class, alongside five-star (and projected starting left tackle) Kodi Greene, four-star (and projected starting interior defensive lineman) Derek Colman-Brusa and four-star wide receiver Jordan Clay to have some kind of impact on the team in their first year of college ball.
However, unlike Greene and Colman-Brusa, Fruean's opportunities as a starter weren't immediate.
The Bethel High School (Spanaway, Wash.) graduate ran with the second-team and backups at the beginning of spring practice. He steadily received more starting reps as the spring progressed and opened training camp getting the majority of his snaps with the projected starters.
Fruean also has the unofficial accolade of being the fastest edge rusher on the team. During conditional drills and sprints, it's not uncommon to see him outpace the rest of the linemen.
The edge rusher has developed technique and added size over the course of the offseason to pair with his top-end speed. Based on reports from the mock game, Fruean unofficially forced a quarterback hurry and had a sack.
Fruean was one of the best gets of the '26 recruiting cycle for UW, which landed him after he decommitted from his original choice, UCLA.
When the season rolls around, Fruean will get an extended opportunity to show why he was a priority get for the Huskies.
