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Husky Roster Review: The Return on Alex McLaughlin Looks Promising

Originally posted on Washington Huskies on SI
By Dan Raley | Last updated May 26, 2025 10:51 AM ET

Safety Alex McLaughlin has some of the longest hair on the University of Washington football team, dark red tresses that reach to his shoulders.

Yet unlike offensive linemen Landen Hatchett and John Mills -- who prefer a medieval Viking look for the Huskies at all times -- McLaughlin keeps his mane balled up inside his helmet, as if he has a secret identity.

This past spring, however, the Northern Arizona University transfer and first-team All-Big Sky selection revealed more and more of himself with each practice and the biggest takeaway was it looks like he belongs in the Big Ten.

He finished up the Huskies' Spring Game with an 80-yard interception return at his goal line that would have gone all the way had someone thought to block extra speedy running back Jordan Washington, who caught McLaughlin from behind.

The 6-foot-2, 198-pound junior from Chandler, Arizona, surely put himself in the middle of a fierce competition that will determine the starting safeties this fall.

"I think for him, just like anybody, you've got to kind of rep it," UW safeties coach Taylor Mays said of McLaughlin's progress. "One of the areas, you like to say for these guys in the safety room, a lot of it is running and tackling. And that's his game to a T."

This is one in a series of articles -- going from 0 to 99 on the Husky roster -- examining what each scholarship player and leading walk-on did this past spring and what to expect from them going forward.

McLaughlin rotated in and out of the first- and second-unit defenses throughout the spring as he got comfortable with what's expected of him in Ryan Walters' new scheme.

Mays told how McLaughlin's background was playing in the box, going head to head closer to the line of scrimmage, while Florida International transfer CJ Christian previously spent most of his time as a deep zone defender or centerfielder. The coach wants each of them to be able to do both.

McLaughlin first made a move in the sixth spring practice. He was everywhere. He turned in one of the top defensive performances of the spring by anyone.

He dropped sophomore running back Adam Mohammed at the line of scrimmage for no gain and took the ball out of the hands of freshman Julian McMahan with a clean strip. He deflected a pass away from tight end Decker DeGraaf.

He next pulled down senior back Jonah Coleman from behind for a 2-yard gain on a flat pass. He came up and stopped Mohammed for a 1-yard loss.

"He's been playing really well," Mays said following McLaughlin's breakout outing, now well acquainted wit the long-haired newcomer.

ALEX MCLAUGHLIN FILE

What he's done: McLaughlin went from the Huskies of Hamilton High School to NAU and made a lasting impact over two seasons. He started all 23 games he played, dealing with in-season surgery that temporarily sat him down as a freshman. He piled up 157 career tackles, 12 pass break-ups, 6 interceptions and 7 sacks. He was both a first- and a second-team All-Big Sky pick. He's a results guy.

Starter or not: With Christian seemingly settled in at one spot, McLaughlin and returning senior Makell Esteen, who started five games in 2024 and seven overall at the UW, likely will wage an intense battle for the other No. 1 safety job. It could be decided by a hair, a red hair.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

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Husky Roster Review: Beierly Had Rigorous QB Introduction

This article first appeared on Washington Huskies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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