CFB recruiting: Riordan wide receiver Chris Lawson commits to Washington

Archbishop Riordan wide receiver Chris Lawson – one of the Bay Area’s top high school football players – has committed to the University of Washington, he announced on Sunday. 

Lawson, a 4-star recruit, chose Washington over Oregon and Cal. He joins a Washington recruiting class that is ranked 17th nationally, according to 247Sports. 

An All-Bay Area News Group First-Team wide receiver in 2023, Lawson caught 68 passes for 969 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior in his first season with Riordan. The rising senior was a transfer from Foothill High School in Pleasanton where he was a varsity starter his freshman year. 

“I wouldn’t be here without my family, my friends and everybody who brought me along on this journey,” Lawson said during his Instagram live broadcast. “Thank you to coach Adhir (Ravipati) for taking me in and I want to say thank you to my old school staff at Foothill.” 

Washington has made it a point to recruit heavily out of the Bay Area under first-year coach Jedd Fisch. 

The Huskies inked commitments from four-star offensive lineman Champ Taulealea (Valley Christian), three-star edge Devin Hyde (Menlo-Atherton), three-star running back Julian McMahan (Monte Vista) and three-star wide receiver Deji Ajose (Bishop O’Dowd). 

Washington is coming off a national championship game berth and will be competing in the Big Ten this upcoming season. 

Riordan coach Adhir Ravipati said Lawson’s leadership and work ethic off the field has gotten him to this point. 

“I think it says a lot about this kid that when he came to Riordan, within six weeks with voted a team captain,” Ravipati said. “This is a guy who gets it done in the classroom. This is the guy who is a team captain.This is the guy who does a lot of things at a really elite level. But the thing I love most about him is just his capacity to love everything he does.”