Kennedy’s Colman-Brusa is state’s most explosive pass rusher. Where will he end up?
A couple of weeks ago, Derek Colman-Brusa looked at the list of visitors and wondered if he’d ever be able to get to math class.
Ten coaches — among them coaches from UW, Oregon, Ohio State, UCLA, BYU, Cal and Miami — were stopping by Kennedy Catholic High School in Burien on the same day, delivering their latest pitch to the coveted junior defensive end recruit.
“It’s been pretty hectic,” Colman-Brusa told The News Tribune this week.
That’s life these days for the 6-foot-5, 260-pound edge rusher.
“It gets pretty furious, in a good way,” said Kennedy coach Pat Jones.
Colman-Brusa is considered a four-star prospect by 247sports.com and the No. 1 rated player in Washington in the 2026 class. He holds 16 offers from schools enamored with his workrate, raw strength and explosiveness.
“It’s the whole package,” Jones said. “It’s an intensity, speed off the football, colleges really like his get-off. He has a motor.”
Besides the infectious smile and gregarious personality, that’s what stands out most to Brandon Huffman, the national recruiting editor for 247sports.com.
“The guy’s motor is relentless,” Huffman said. “He’s the most explosive pure pass rusher in the state since (current Ohio State defensive end) J.T. Tuimoloau.”
Huffman remembers watching a Kennedy Catholic game last fall against Stadium High School.
“He literally had the offensive tackle in the air,” Huffman said, laughing. “His rush is so quick. It doesn’t matter how quick you are as a tackle, he’s quicker than you. He’s going to be an absolute nightmare as a pass rusher.”
Colman-Brusa was a TNT all-state and All-Area selection in his junior season, one of the state’s clear-cut dominant players. He helped Kennedy Catholic reach the Class 4A state tournament quarterfinals in 2024, where the Lancers lost to Gonzaga Prep. He was named the 4A NPSL player of the year after racking up 68 tackles, 25 tackles for loss, a dozen sacks and five forced fumbles.
“It was a great ride,” Colman-Brusa said. “Growing up in the Kennedy program, it was hard to see those guys go on. But we’ve got a great group coming back, great leaders, we’re excited to get after it.”
WHERE MIGHT COLMAN-BRUSA END UP?
Scouts took notice of Colman-Brusa from a young age. He was offered by UW and WSU in eighth grade, before he even played a high school snap. Also a star wrestler, Colman-Brusa has only gotten taller, stronger and better since then.
He reminds Jones of another prep star he coached at one point, when he was on the staff at Bellevue during its heyday: Myles Jack, who went on to play at UCLA before becoming a 2016 second-round NFL Draft pick.
“That speed, power off the edge, it was just unblockable,” Jones said. “Derek reminds me of that a lot.”
Colman-Brusa will take some official visits to schools in the spring before narrowing down his list of schools. In today’s Wild West world of college football, schools are throwing hundreds of thousands, and sometimes even millions of dollars at high school players. But Colman-Brusa said that’s not the top consideration to him.
“It’s the people,” he said. “The development and culture in the program. Those are the things you can control. I feel like having a phenomenal school, program — all of that will be worth more than money. If I tore my ACL tomorrow, which school is still gonna be there for me, still have the scholarship for me? The game of football can go at any second.”
Less flash, more substance.
“I’m not the typical guy to worry about the NIL piece, the bling, the photo shoots,” he said. “I built this boat and I’m gonna sail it the way I want to.”
Colman-Brusa’s older brother, Lowen, just signed with UW. Could the prospect of continuing to play football with his brother sway younger Derek toward a Montlake commitment?
“Playing with my brother would be cool but I’m going to go to the right school that’s right for me,” he said.
But first, he’ll have one more run with Kennedy. What’s Jones expecting to see from his star defensive end in 2025?
“A lot of double teams,” he said, laughing. “That’s what I’d do. We haven’t won state but have come close the last three years. He has his dreams. He’ll take this team on his back, become its leader. I think it’s gonna be a wonderful ride for him.”
CLASS OF 2026 NUGGETS-IN-WAITING
DL Tony Cumberland, Willamette (Eugene, Ore.)
LB Wassie Lugolobi, Eastside Catholic (Sammamish, Wash.)
DL Viliami Moala, Willamette (Eugene, Ore.)
OL Kelvin Obot, Fruitland (Fruitland, Idaho)
RB Ansu Sanoe, Lakeridge (Lake Oswego, Ore.)
DE David Schwerzel, O’Dea (Seattle, Wash.)
DE Fameitau Siale, O’Dea (Seattle, Wash.)
OL Jax Tanner, Rocky Mountain (Meridian, Idaho)
This story was originally published February 6, 2025 at 11:07 AM with the headline "Kennedy’s Colman-Brusa is state’s most explosive pass rusher. Where will he end up?."
