When Chris Petersen was introduced as the Washington Huskies’ head coach in December 2013, the once-dominant program gained a clear vision for its return to the top of college football.

Washington has started making good on that vision in the last few seasons, winning its first conference championship since 2000 en route to the 2016 campaign's College Football Playoff. The Huskies also have back-to-back double-digit-win campaigns, the first time that's been accomplished on Montlake since 1990-91.

Landing the second-highest ranked recruiting class in the Pac-12 this cycle, and the No. 13 class overall according to 247Sports, suggests Petersen has Washington positioned to remain in the hunt for championships for years to come.

Kyler Gordon, DB

Plenty of coaches around college football emphasize the importance of first and foremost, winning locally on the recruiting trail. With the addition of Gordon, a 4-star prospect from Archbishop Murray High School in Everett, Washington football notched a considerable win in its home state.

Gordon's one of the state's top-rated recruits, and he's capable of having the same kind of instant impact in the Huskies’ secondary as returning starter Taylor Rapp. Rapp was a starter in his 2016 freshman campaign.

Ale Kaho, LB

The stellar Washington defense adds another dynamic piece in Kaho, a 4-star linebacker. The Reno native was among the most highly touted recruits from the state of Nevada, and a potential immediate contributor to the Huskies’ front seven.

Tuli Letuligasenoa, DL

Washington's boasted the best defense in the Pac-12 each of the last two seasons. The Huskies' success starts with physical play on the line, fueled by big-body tackles on the interior like Elijah Qualls and Vita Vea.

Ready to carry on that tradition is Letuligasenoa, a 6-foot-1, 338-pound tackle out of high school powerhouse De La Salle in Concord, California.

Trey Lowe, RB

Employing a dual-faceted rushing attack powered Washington's offense each of the last two seasons. Veteran Myles Gaskin returns without his running mate, Lavon Coleman, but the Huskies have an exciting possibility to plug in with the arrival of Trey Lowe.

The Portland, Oregon, native is a much different style back than Gaskin or Coleman. At 5-foot-7, he's a small, shifty and explosive weapon who can contribute in a variety of ways. Lowe could add a dimension to the passing game as a receiver out of the backfield for quarterback Jake Browning.

Marquis Spiker, WR

Some of the most explosive wide receivers in the Pac-12 shined at Washington in 2016 and ‘17, from John Ross to Dante Pettis. Spiker arrives showcasing a different skill set, but could be an equally effective weapon all the same.

At 6-foot-3, Spiker can be a consummate possession receiver in a vein similar to former Husky Kasen Williams.

— Written by Kyle Kensing, who is part of the Athlon Contributor Network and a sportswriter in Southern California. Kensing is publisher of TheOpenMan.com. Follow him on Twitter @kensing45.