Bethel four-star linebacker Zaydrius Rainey-Sale announces where he’ll play in college
Bethel High School linebacker Zaydrius Rainey-Sale is staying home with the Washington Huskies.
Monday morning, several hours before the Huskies are set to play Michigan in the College Football Playoff National Championship game, the four-star junior announced his commitment to UW live on YouTube with 247Sports National Recruiting Editor Brandon Huffman.
“I will be committing to the University of Washington,” Rainey-Sale said, as he put on a purple UW hat to cheers and applause.
Rainey-Sale is considered the top-ranked recruit in Washington in the 2025 class by 247Sports, as well as the No. 172 recruit nationally and No. 21 linebacker.
He is also considered the state’s top recruit in the junior class by Rivals, and the No. 2 recruit in Washington in the class by ESPN.
He appeared in six games for Bethel as a junior in 2023, piling up 65 tackles — averaging more than 10 per contest — six tackles for loss, six sacks and a defensive touchdown. He also played tight end for the Bison and collected five touchdowns on offense.
Rainey-Sale, who holds FBS offers from 11 programs, narrowed his list to five schools midway through December, including Florida State, Oregon, Miami, Penn State and UW.
Monday morning, he announced his decision to head to Montlake following his final high school season.
“The way they made me and my family feel at home, and every time I was there was a great moment, great time,” Rainey-Sale said on the YouTube live stream of why he chose the Huskies.
“Every time I was with Coach (William) Inge, he would always teach me something new every time I would see him. He would make me a better player and a better man, so that’s why I chose UW.”
Rainey-Sale is the third recruit in the 2025 class to commit to UW — joining three-star Laguna Beach (California) quarterback Jackson Kollock and three-star Inderkum (California) offensive lineman Josiah Sharma — and the first on defense.
