Seattle Sports: Update on NFL players with State of Washington ties

The State of Washington has sent many players to the NFL over the years. Here is your monthly update on some home state heroes.

The State of Washington has a long history of producing quality players and sending them to the pros. Emerald City Swagger is more than Seattle sports, we will periodically check in on the progress of former State of Washington players at the highest level of professional football. Every third week of the month, we will update you on home state players in the NFL.

David DeCastro, guard, Pittsburgh Steelers: DeCastro played his high school ball at Bellevue High School. He went on to Stanford University where he redshirted his freshman year and entered the NFL draft after his junior year.  The Steelers selected him in the 2012 first round, 24th overall. In 2017, he was selected to his third pro bowl.

This season, he fractured his hand in the opening game of the season against Cleveland. He missed the next two games against Kansas and Tampa Bay but did return in game four against Baltimore. He has played in the next two games as well against Atlanta and Cincinnati.

Joshua Garnett, guard San Francisco 49ers: A Puyallup High School grad, he also played his college ball at Stanford. He won the Outland Trophy his senior year that goes to the best offensive lineman in college football. Garnett was selected in the first round by the 49ers in 2016, 28th overall.

The guard missed most of training camp this year however but started the opening game against Minnesota, however he had to leave the game because of a foot injury. Garnett hasn’t played since, though they expect him back this year.