Most of the time, when the average college football fan looks at their team's depth chart and sees a true freshman projected as the starting left tackle, it's cause for concern. However, Kodi Greene isn't most freshmen.

The 6-foot-6, 315-pound product of Renton, Washington, who prepped at Mater Dei High School in Southern California, where he was ranked as a five-star prospect and the No. 1 player in California by 247Sports, has had massive expectations around him since the day he committed.

On the first day that Jedd Fisch was able to make public comments about him, the head coach immediately stated that he expected him to come in and compete for a starting job at left tackle. Through nine spring practices, Greene has done nothing but assert that statement, which has made Fisch even more confident in his offensive line ahead of his third season at the helm.

"We've got an elite left tackle coming in, as a true freshman that I have every expectation will be our starter," Fisch said after Saturday's scrimmage, doubling down. "He's taken every rep with the starting ones."

For Greene, who was committed to Oregon before flipping his pledge to Washington in late April 2025, earning a starting job in the Big Ten was an expectation that he's been preparing himself for for a long time.

"I've always had that mindset," the freshman said on Saturday. "Never wait. (Offensive line coach Michael Switzer) always told me, "Don't wait for anything. Always pick the opportunities that you're given,' and I feel like I did that, I've done that ever since I've gone here. I've always tried to jump in, chime in, and I feel like now it's been paying off."

While playing in the Trinity League at Mater Dei for two years, arguably the toughest high school football division in the country, gave Greene an early head start at facing high-end college talent, he's also received a major boost from left guard John Mills. The 2025 Freshman All-American came in on a similar path to Greene and excelled in 11 starts last season.

Now, he's a perfect mentor for yet another true freshman starter for Fisch.

Some Kodi Greene video for your timeline pic.twitter.com/BNl8ijZjM0

"He's taken me under his wing," Greene said. "If I need help with something, he's there for me. When we were in the offseason or winter ball, I would meet with him, and we'd go over the overall growth and the connection between each other."

When asked about Greene, any member of the Huskies hasn't needed long to begin gushing over him, and Mills was no exception to that.

"He's an absolute stud," Mills said after practice on Thursday. "I'm so proud of the way he's come in and worked every single day. He never takes anything for granted; he's come in and asks all the questions, he works in the weight room, and he works on the field. I'm sure you guys can see he's an absolute baller."

Throughout spring practice, Greene has shown off rare traits for a freshman. Not only does he check everything the Huskies are looking for athletically, but he's also shown off high-end composure and intelligence, rarely panicking or losing track of his assignment, no matter what kind of stunt or disguised pressure package defensive coordinator Ryan Walters has thrown at him.

Now, as he continues to get comfortable with the playbook and settles into the speed and physicality of the college level, Greene looks like he could be a major weapon along Washington's offensive line, even as an 18-year-old.

This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Washington Huskies are putting Kodi Greene on a path to success