Washington’s edge rushers got the highest compliment from Arizona head coach Jedd Fisch on Thursday ahead of their matchup in Seattle.

“It’ll be the second week in a row I feel like we’re going against true NFL players,” Fisch said of UW’s pass-rushing, edge-setting defenders. The Huskies have a talented trio of players who have spent most of the season getting after the quarterback and causing problems for opposing offensive lines — Bralen Trice, Jeremiah Martin, and Zion Tupuola-Fetui. Add in former 5-star Sav’ell Smalls and you have as talented a group as you’ll find in the league.

Trice has seven tackles for loss, Martin 3.5, and ZTF 2.5. The trio has combined for nine of UW’s 16 sacks. Trice is the fifth-highest-graded pass-rusher in the Pac-12 this season, according to Pro Football Focus. He’s third if you consider only defenders who have seen at least 30 snaps as a pass-rusher.

Arizona has only given up eight sacks in six games. It has allowed the fourth-fewest tackles in its own backfield. But Arizona tackle Paiton Fears has allowed 19 quarterback pressures so far, the second-most of any Pac-12 offensive lineman. Look for UW to test the right side of that line.

The Wildcat passing game is one to be taken very seriously. Arizona will throw it all over the yard, and Washington intimately knows the quarterback the Cats will bring to Saturday’s fight. Putting Jayden de Laura in uncomfortable situations has led to success for others this season.

We’ll see if Washington’s group of edge rushers can have similar success. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. PT on the Pac-12 Network this Saturday.