Washington football flips 3-star DT with NFL bloodlines from Colorado

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The Washington Huskies made a surprise late addition to their 2026 class on Wednesday afternoon when three-star defensive tackle Joseph Peko announced that he'd be flipping his commitment from Colorado to join Jedd Fisch's coaching staff.

Peko, a 6-foot-3, 310-pound product of Oaks Christian High School in Southern California, is ranked as the nation's No. 107 defensive lineman and No. 66 prospect in the state by 247Sports. Peko had initially committed to coach Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes on Christmas Day over 17 other offers, including Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, North Carolina, Oregon, and USC.

Now, Fisch and defensive line coach Jason Kaufusi can add the son of 14-year NFL defensive tackle Domata Peko to the interior of their defensive line. The elder Peko had previously served as Colorado's defensive line coach, but has since moved on to take the same role with the Pittsburgh Steelers, which may have played into his son's decision to flip his pledge.

Peko gives the Huskies another big, strong presence on the interior who offers a high floor against the run after racking up 38 tackles with 6.5 for loss, 5 sacks, a pass breakup, and a forced fumble during his senior season.

On film, Peko commands a lot of attention from the middle of the offensive line, and if he can continue to add weight to his frame, he could develop into a nose tackle in some of defensive coordinator Ryan Walters' five-man fronts. That would allow him to take on double teams against the run and free up linebackers or safeties to come downhill and make tackles for a loss, while his natural power offers some long-term upside as a pass rusher.

For Kaufusi and Walters, Peko also adds to a massive haul along the defensive front in the 2026 class, which includes four-star defensive linemen Derek Colman-Brusa, JD Hill, and TI Umu-Cais, four-star outside linebacker Ramzak Fruean, and three-star defensive linemen Ta'a Malu and David Schwerzel.

This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Washington Huskies make surprising late flip in 2026 class

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