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Huskies Land NAU Safety Transfer Alex McLaughlin

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Lars Hanson | Last updated Dec 17, 2024 6:17 PM ET

While Washington football coach Jedd Fisch was at Arizona he experienced what it's like to have his team play against Alex McLaughlin.

Now the former Northern Arizona safety and 2023 FCS freshman All-American is set to be a Husky.

The 6-foot-2, 190-pound transfer made his decision public on Tuesday, becoming the fifth transfer addition — third defensive transfer — for UW since the portal opened on Dec. 9.

McLaughlin took an official visit to Washington this past weekend with several other transfer portal targets, though he was the only safety brought in during the first weekend which indicated how much of a priority the Chandler, Ariz., native was for the staff.

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In 13 games for the Lumberjacks in 2024 the former Hamilton High School product recorded 96 total tackles (40 solo), 7 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 4 pass breakups, 2 interceptions and 2 forced fumbles,

His freshman season in 2023 saw McLaughlin finish with 10-plus tackles twice, first against Fisch's Wildcats and again later in the season against Portland State, proving to be an enforcer on the back end for NAU.

McLaughlin joins defensive linemen Simote Pepa (Utah) and Anterio Thompson (Western Michigan), along with offensive linemen Geirean Hatchett (Oklahoma) and Carver Willis (Kansas State) as the five transfer additions for the Huskies in December.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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