Washington and head coach Jedd Fisch continue to shape the program’s future by strengthening one of the most important rooms on the roster. As the Huskies look ahead to the 2026 season, adding experience, depth and competition at quarterback has become a clear priority. With an established starter already in place, the focus now shifts to building a reliable support system behind him, ensuring the offense remains steady no matter the circumstances. That vision took another step forward this week with the addition of a seasoned transfer who brings both high-level preparation and game-tested experience from a major program.
The Huskies are welcoming a 6-foot-2, 205-pound quarterback from California, who has announced his decision to transfer to Washington via social media. He arrives from Stanford, where he spent two seasons in the Cardinal program and now brings three remaining years of eligibility to Seattle.
During his time at Stanford, the quarterback redshirted in 2024 before stepping into a more prominent role late in the 2025 season. He started the Cardinal’s final three games, gaining valuable experience against conference opponents and nationally ranked competition. Although the transfer portal officially closed on Jan. 16, players who entered during the designated 15-day window were still allowed to sign afterward. He submitted his name on Jan. 13, making his commitment part of Washington’s active and productive portal cycle. He becomes the 11th transfer addition for the Huskies since the window opened.
Statistically, Elijah Brown’s Stanford career included 102 completions on 175 pass attempts for 1,103 yards, with six touchdown passes and five interceptions across two seasons. He also appeared in nine games, finishing with minus-119 rushing yards, a number influenced by sacks rather than designed runs.
Before college, he built an impressive résumé at Southern California powerhouse Mater Dei High School, where he played four seasons. During that span, he completed more than 70 percent of his passes, throwing for 9,289 yards and 115 touchdowns against just 16 interceptions in 44 games, according to MaxPreps. His performances earned him four-star status and a spot as a 2023 Elite 11 finalist, where he competed alongside several highly regarded quarterbacks, including current Washington starter Demond Williams Jr.
Recruiting services viewed him as one of the top quarterbacks in his class. According to the 247Sports composite rankings, he was rated as the No. 16 quarterback nationally, the No. 23 player in California and the No. 247 recruit overall. He ultimately chose Stanford over UCLA, though his offer list was extensive and included programs such as Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Ole Miss, Penn State, Tennessee, USC, Utah and Washington. Notably, Fisch and UW offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Jimmie Dougherty had previously recruited him while at Arizona.
His path to the starting role at Stanford was not immediate. After limited action during his redshirt season, he entered a competition to replace departing starter Ashton Daniels, who transferred to Auburn. Although veteran Ben Gulbranson won the job out of fall camp, injuries and turnovers eventually opened the door. When Gulbranson went down against Florida State, the young quarterback stepped in and helped guide Stanford to a 20-13 upset. Later in the season, following struggles against Miami and Pittsburgh, he was named the full-time starter on Nov. 3.
In his three starts, he completed 55 of 96 passes for 611 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. His strongest showing came against North Carolina, throwing for a career-high 284 yards while nearly engineering a fourth-quarter comeback. He also helped Stanford reclaim the Stanford Axe with a win over California before closing the season against Notre Dame.
At Washington, he will enter a competitive quarterback room that includes redshirt freshmen Treston “Kini” McMillan and Dash Beierly, along with true freshman Derek Zammit. All will compete to serve as the primary backup behind Williams after Kai Horton exhausted his eligibility in 2025. McMillan and Beierly both saw action in the LA Bowl win over Boise State, while Zammit enrolled early and joined the program in January. An interesting connection also exists, as Beierly took over at Mater Dei after the transfer quarterback’s departure.
Fisch previously indicated he wanted to add one transfer quarterback and emphasized that any newcomer would have to earn his role. With spring practices approaching, this addition sets the stage for a wide-open competition and gives Washington exactly what it was seeking: experience, upside and depth at the game’s most important position.
