These players with ties to Washington high schools were selected in the 2022 NFL Draft
There are several players with ties to Washington high schools who could hear their names called during the 2022 NFL Draft, which runs Thursday through Saturday.
Follow along throughout the weekend as The News Tribune tracks which local standouts are headed to the league.
KYLER GORDON
Washington, Archbishop Murphy High School
Cornerback, 5-11, 194
Team: Chicago Bears | Round: 2 | Overall pick: 39
Gordon starred in the Huskies’ secondary last fall, starting each of UW’s 12 games and finishing with 45 tackles while tying for the team lead with two interceptions on his way to All-Pac-12 first-team honors. He finished his four-season career at UW with 97 tackles, the two interceptions, 12 passes defended, two forced fumbles and one recovery in 33 games. He did not miss a game with the Huskies the past three seasons, whether playing defense or special teams, and was also an All-Pac-12 honorable mention pick in 2020 and 2019. Gordon was considered a four-star recruit in the 2018 class. The Archbishop Murphy standout was ranked as the top player in Washington in the class by 247Sports, the No. 12 cornerback and No. 107 player nationally. He chose UW over offers from Notre Dame, Nebraska, Oregon, Stanford, TCU, UCLA, USC and Utah. Gordon was key in leading Archbishop Murphy to its most recent state championship his junior season in 2016, when the Wildcats topped 2A with a perfect 14-0 record. The Wildcats were 44-6 during his four seasons with the program, reached the state semifinals three times and the final in 2016 when they won the 2A title. He was an AP all-state selection as both a defensive back and all-purpose player his senior season, and a member of TNT’s 2018 Western 100 class.
ABRAHAM LUCAS
Washington State, Archbishop Murphy High School
Offensive tackle, 6-6, 315
Team: Seattle Seahawks | Round: 3 | Overall pick: No. 72
Lucas has been key to WSU’s high-flying offense each of the past four seasons as an anchor of the Cougars’ offensive line. After redshirting his first season in Pullman in 2017, Lucas hasn’t missed a start for the Cougars the last four, starting all 42 games at right tackle. He started each of WSU’s 12 games last fall on his way to All-Pac-12 first-team honors. He was also an All-Pac-12 second-team selection each of his three previous seasons. Lucas was considered a four-star recruit in the 2017 class by 247Sports, the No. 18 offensive tackle in the class, No. 3 player in Washington and No. 139 player nationally. He chose WSU over offers from Cal and Wyoming. In his four seasons at Archbishop Murphy, he helped the Wildcats to the 2A state playoffs twice, including a semifinals appearance his junior season and the program’s most recent state title during a perfect 14-0 record during his senior season in 2016.
CADE OTTON
Washington, Tumwater High School
Tight end, 6-5, 250
Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Round 4 | Overall pick: 106
The 6-foot-5, 250-pound tight end, flashed brilliance during the 2020 season with the Huskies, named to the All-Pac-12 first team, when he caught 18 passes for 258 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 14.3 yards per catch. The 2021 season was tougher. Otton missed a couple games because of COVID-19 issues, then injured his foot in a 35-30 loss to Arizona State, which required ankle surgery. Otton suited up for eight games in his final season at UW, catching 28 passes for 250 yards and one touchdown. While his draft stock may have taken a slight hit, there was still plenty to like from the latest in a successful line of recent UW tight ends who have made the jump to the NFL. Otton was an All-American honorable mention in 2020 by Phil Steele. His Tumwater background running the Wing-T has made him an elite blocking tight end and he’s shown plenty of ability as a receiver, too. Otton, the grandson of legendary Tumwater coach and the state’s all-time winningest high school football coach Sid Otton, was The Olympian’s 2016 All-Area player of the year and a first-team selection to The News Tribune’s 2016 All-Area team. As a senior, he had 820 receiving yards at tight end and 123 tackles and three tackles as a linebacker. Otton was considered a three-star high school recruit by 247sports.com and the No. 8 rated player from Washington in the 2017 class.
This story will be updated.
This story was originally published April 29, 2022 at 5:10 PM.
