Ferndale’s Landen Hatchett, one of nation’s best centers, following in brother’s footsteps

Landen Hatchett wanted to get on the football field during his freshman year at Ferndale High School.

The left guard spot was already claimed by his older brother, Geirean, who was a senior. The Golden Eagles had experienced players filling the other spots, as well.

The one position up for grabs was center, so in the summer following his eighth grade year, Hatchett got to work. Every day, he practiced snapping and moving off the ball.

“I just got really comfortable at it,” Hatchett said.

And while he eventually could have moved positions at some point during his high school career, Hatchett was so good at center, Ferndale coach Jamie Plenkovich didn’t want to ruin a good thing. Typically, Plenkovich puts the team’s most talented lineman at left guard. In Ferndale’s Wing-T offense, it’s where the most talented player can make the biggest impact.

Hatchett did things that most centers couldn’t do, though. He could pull and get to the second level with ease, even after snapping the ball to the quarterback under center.

“He changed how we would rank centers in where the most important position is on our line,” Plenkovich said. “The things we have been able to do with him there, we just haven’t done before.”

In his senior season in 2022, Hatchett led a Ferndale offense that piled up 4,192 yards of total offense and 53 total touchdowns. He was a Class 3A Wesco North first-team selection on both the offensive and defensive lines, leading the Golden Eagles to the 3A state quarterfinals. Hatchett was also a TNT all-state selection.

Hatchett originally played center out of necessity, then became the best center on the West Coast and among the best in the country. He’s part of TNT’s 2023 Northwest Nuggets class, which features the most highly-coveted recruits in the Pacific Northwest each year.

The 6-foot-3, 300-pounder is considered a four-star recruit and the No. 5 player in Washington in the 2023 class by 247Sports.com. He held 16 offers and signed with Washington, picking the Huskies over Michigan, Oregon, USC and others. He has followed in the footsteps of his older brother, Geirean, currently a sophomore at UW. Geirean too was a nationally-coveted recruit and played one high school season alongside Landen.

“That was really awesome,” Geirean said. “Growing up, I’d always play backyard games with him. He’d join me and my buddies, but we never got to play organized sports together. Once he was coming into high school, it was a cool experience to play (together). I’m super excited to get to experience that together again the next few years.”

Plenkovich only wishes he could have had the Hatchett brothers on the same offensive line for more than just one season. Even as a freshman, Landen made an immediate impact.

“There was never a doubt, really,” Plenkovich said. “He just fit in right away. He had been around his brother and his brother’s friends for a number of years. I don’t think it was a surprise to anyone that was right away coming in and competing for us. They both were hard workers, I think he had a great example with Geirean and how he handled his business.”

Indeed, Landen looked up to his older brother — both on and off the field. Landen watched Geirean go through the recruiting process, taking visits to big-time college football programs across the country. He watched and learned how to interact with coaches and how to conduct himself. When Landen became a national recruit himself, he already had a blueprint to follow. He leaned on his brother for guidance and advice.

“He was an awesome guy to go to,” Landen said. “To have him going through the cycle — he was a bigger recruit than I was. … Whenever I was wondering about something, he was a great person to be able to reach out to.”

Selfishly, Geirean hoped to play with his brother again in college, but he harped to Landen to make the decision that was best for himself, not for anyone else.

“Figure out which place he fits in the best, where he really wants to end up,” Geirean said. “Don’t come to Washington just because I’m here.”

Ultimately, Landen felt most at home at UW and committed to the Huskies.

“It wasn’t based purely on my brother being there,” Landen Hatchett said. “Michigan was right up there, too, a very close second to Washington. … To me, it just made sense. I’ve known (UW offensive line coach Scott) Huff for years, he’s been really great to us.”

And Washington has a highly-rated business school, which was important to Hatchett. In Hatchett, the Huskies are getting a college-ready center who’s a natural fit in the position.

“He’s the quarterback of the offensive line, made all of our calls,” Plenkovich said. “His understanding of the game, his technique sets him apart. He’s able to make all the calls, understand the game the way the next level wants those guys at the center position.”

Brandon Huffman, National Recruiting Editor for 247Sports.com, doesn’t think it’ll be long before Hatchett sees the field.

“Best pure center in the West,” Huffman said. “He’s just a pure, natural center. That’s an under-appreciated position. So many schools run out of the shotgun. A lot of tackles and guards don’t know how to snap. He can snap, make all the line calls, block.

“He can go up with a 350-pound nose tackle, go up with the twitchy guys. He’s really a one-size-fits-all. Don’t be surprised if he plays the earliest of any guy Washington signs in their class.”