Etiwanda ATH Kamari Pleasant Ready To Burst on the Scene at Washington
SEATTLE, Wa. -- As quick a decision as Kamari Pleasant made to flip from Arizona State to Washington in the final month of his recruitment, he's been working to bring his on-field burst to the same level.
"I'm feeling good, ready to make it happen," Pleasant told Rivals.com in preparation for UW's L.E.A.P. program. "I've been working on speed, explosion, footwork, strength and routes to be even more versatile."
Pleasant, a 6'1, 185-pound wide receiver and running back out of Etiwanda High School (Etiwanda, California), committed to the Sun Devils on Christmas Day - December 25, 2015 - but backed off his pledge in mid January.
Washington already held a commitment from another running back, Sean McGrew, out of St. John Bosco High School (Bellflower, California) but wanted to add a second. The Huskies offered on January 8, and after an official visit a week later, he knew UW would be his home.
As a senior at Etiwanda HS, Pleasant ran for 516 yards and five touchdowns on 89 carries in 10 games. He added three more touchdowns through the air, along with 161 yards and nine receptions.
UW Head Coach Chris Petersen returns Chico McClatcher and Myles Gaskin as true sophomores, each bringing their own unique skill set. One college coach told Rivals.com that Pleasant is expected to make an immediate impact as a true freshman, in the similar role of Mcclatcher.
Petersen and running backs coach Keith Bhonapha have been the two Husky coaches that Pleasant has kept in contact with since signing his National Letter of Intent in February. The plan for Pleasant is to play both wide receiver and running back for the Huskies and simply improving has been on the mind of the incoming Husky since signing.
"Coming in as a true freshman playing another big role in the offense, not only as a back," Pleasant said, "but as a wide receiver too."
Outside of the aforementioned McClatcher and Gaskin, Washington returns a bevy of young starters on offense including quarterback Jake Browning. While having a plethora of youth on one side of the ball might be a detriment, Pleasant sees it as a chance for him to join the young group and continue the progression.