Jedd Fisch and Washington have long been the favorite for 4-star safety Isala Wily-Ava. The Huskies were among the first to offer him in October 2024 and have stayed consistently involved. Safeties coach Taylor Mays has played a major role, seeing a lot of himself in the four-star safety. But their comfortable lead in securing his commitment is now under serious threat from a Big 12 challenger.

Kenny Dillingham’s Arizona State has recently made a strong impression, and Wily-Ava has been vocal about how much he liked what he saw.

“Coach Dillingham, coach (Hines) Ward, coach (David) Gibbs, (Josh) Omura made it clear that I’m a top priority for this program,” Isala Wily-Ava said. “They have a real plan for the program and how I’ll be seeing the field early if I’m consistent in everything I do, which I’m willing to work hard at, no matter where I go.

They see my potential and believe that I can be a key contributor in their defense early on. Also talked about life after football, what they have to offer here at ASU academically will not only set me up in the future, but also my family, which I really loved.”

Arizona State has been building this quietly for a while. The four-star safety has already been around the Sun Devils on at least two separate occasions. By early May 2025, he had confirmed visits to a small group of schools, which included Arizona State, Ohio State, UCLA, and Arizona. Then, in an interview on January 28, 2026, Wily-Ava mentioned he was back in Tempe “a couple weekends ago,” showing just how steady that relationship has been.

That visit mattered. He talked with Josh Omura, ASU’s Executive Director of Football Recruiting and Player Personnel. And the bond clicked, thanks to their shared Hawaiian roots. ASU also listed him as a probable attendee for its “Heat Check” Elite Weekend around January 31, 2026. These visits are more than enough to leave a mark, especially on a 16-year-old still figuring out his future.

The key thing is, Wily-Ava is a 2027 candidate, so he still has time to go through his options. From a football perspective, though, the fit at ASU is perfect. He is a perfect mold for defensive coordinator Brian Ward’s aggressive 4-2-5 scheme.

At 6-foot-3 and 208 pounds, he has that ultra-athletic stature that can easily transition from safety into a linebacker-hybrid role. That flexibility is exactly what Arizona State looks for in roles like the “SPARKY” or “DEVIL.” It is designed to clash with modern spread offenses. Ward’s goal is straightforward: 30 turnovers and 40 sacks a season. Wily-Ava showcased his ball skills by grabbing seven interceptions during his sophomore season.

Add in his reputation as an excellent open-field tackler who “flies off the hash,” and you start to see why ASU is pushing hard. He’s comfortable in space, strong enough to play near the box, and athletic enough to blitz.

However, if this happens, what does it mean for the Huskies?

The Huskies’ loss

Washington’s 2027 class has four public commits and sits 19th nationally in the 247Sports rankings as of today. Jedd Fisch and his staff haven’t been shy either. They handed out more than 180 scholarship offers nationwide as they cast a wide net. That’s why losing four-star safety Isala Aisa Wily-Ava would sting. This has been a priority recruitment from day one, led personally by safeties coach Taylor Mays.

Mays has been upfront with Wily-Ava, telling him he sees a “mirror image” of his younger self in the 6-foot-3, 200-pound defensive back. He’s a perfect fit for the hybrid safety-linebacker role Washington values, the same mold as current standouts like Alex McLaughlin. Missing on Wily-Ava would also hurt beyond the depth chart. It would be a setback in Washington’s push to build a pipeline into St. John Bosco, one of the top high school programs in the country.

The staff has poured time into that relationship. They made multiple trips in January 2026 alone to check in on Wily-Ava and his teammates. Zooming out, a loss here could raise bigger concerns. There’s no doubt that Washington was once considered the heavy favorite. And getting beaten out, especially by a late push from Arizona State or a Big Ten rival like Michigan, would force a quick reset at the safety spot. The Huskies would likely pivot to other top California targets, such as Gavin Williams (Damien HS) or Malakai Taufoou (Junipero Serra).