22 minute read

NAU Football Recruiting: Let’s Meet The Recruits

NOAH BUTLER

NAU football is going to see a massive turnover in the 2023-24 season. The entire recruiting/transfer class of 2023 was released on Feb. 1, including 26 new members to the Lumberjack gridiron squad.

Each of these players has some sort of backstory or reason as to why they were recruited to NAU, whether that be their accolades in high school or their want for playing time at an up-and-coming Big Sky school.

Let’s start recruiting season off strong by taking a look at all of the new Lumberjacks you may see on the field next season.

Daniel Britt [5’11, 185 | QB | Las Vegas, NV / Montana]

Britt, former quarterback at Big Sky rival Montana, announced his commitment to NAU after entering the transfer portal in late December. In his brief career at Montana, he passed for 323 total yards and three touchdowns and ran the ball 35 times for 195 yards. Britt showcased his dual-threat ability during his time at Montana. This offseason, the Grizzlies acquired multiple quarterbacks, which may have prompted Britt to move to Flagstaff.

He came out of Liberty High School in Las Vegas as a two-star prospect, and led his team to the 4A State title in 2019 after knocking off Nevada powerhouse Bishop Gorman in the semifinals. 2019 was Britt’s junior year, a season where he tallied 1,636 yards and 18 touchdowns through the air with only one interception. On the ground, he ran 102 times for 791 yards and two touchdowns.

In terms of awards, Britt was the recipient of not only the Team MVP, but also the State Championship MVP in 2019. He also won the “Don’t Doubt Me,” or comeback player of the year award that same year. Britt won these awards in Nevada’s 4A division, the top division in the state.

Montana’s Head Coach Bobby Hauck had high praise for Britt in an interview with Montana Athletics

“Daniel is a true dual-threat quarterback.” Hauck said, “He runs well, he throws it well and the words that come to mind when I see him are toughness and competitiveness. He was injured as a junior for four games and his team went 0-4. But he came back and they went 10-0 from there and won the Nevada State Championship, which is a big deal because they beat Bishop Gorman in the semifinal, who hadn’t lost a Nevada High School game in about 10 years. So, we’re excited for Daniel to join the program.”

Britt’s stats and accolades are all well reflected in his hudl highlight tape from 2019. There are multiple clips of him dicing up the defense with his passing skills, but also on the ground. One play that stood out is one where he scrambles out of the pocket to avoid the pass rush, and takes the ball with a full head of steam to the house. This play is made notable by a collision that resulted in an opposing defender going flying out of bounds.

At NAU, Britt will be a strong competitor for the starting quarterback position, alongside fellow transfer Kai Millner and Lumberjack sophomore Angel Flores.

Kai Millner [6’2, 215 | QB | Gilbert, AZ / Cal.]

Millner, like Britt, was a backup, however, Millner came from a PAC-12 school in the University of California Berkeley, or simply Cal. He made three appearances as a backup to Jake Plummer last season, with his best game coming in a blowout loss to Oregon. Millner passed only 10 times, completing eight of them for 114 yards and two touchdowns.

He came out of high school as a four-star recruit, and was among the top ten recruits in Arizona in 2020. In his junior year, Millner passed for 2,387 yards and 31 touchdowns while also running for seven additional touchdowns. He faced tough competition in Arizona’s second-highest division, 5A, and finished 4-5 in his final season.

ESPN ranked Millner as the No. 3 recruit in Arizona for the 2020-21 season and gave him a four-star recruiting rating. On top of that, Millner was named to the preseason All-American team prior to his senior season.

Besides playing quarterback, Millner also played punter, pinning opponents within the 20-yard line on six occasions. He punted the ball only thirty times in his high school career for 882 yards, leading to an average punt of 29.4 yards.

Out of all the recruits covered this week, Millner probably is the most eye-popping. His junior year hudl tape shows him launching the ball downfield with Mahomeslike arm strength into small windows. The Mahomes comparison does not end there, however, as Millner also had many plays where he had to make something out of nothing and lead his team to a first down.

Multiple clips showed him converting first downs with pinpoint accurate passes set up by his mobility in the pocket. One of these plays came in his final prep football season senior year.

Again drawing more comparison to Mahomes, Millner capped off a Chilly Bowl MVP performance with a backward over-the-head pass to complete a two-point conversion. He finished with 271 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions on 27-of-34 passes for a 130.9 quarterback rating and two rushing touchdowns on two carries.

Just like Britt, Millner will compete for the starting job, although with his unique skill set we may see coaches draw some interesting plays up that involve both of them.

Devon Starling [6’1, 210 | RB | Nashville, Tenn. / Tennessee St.]

Starling is transferring to his third school in four years after spending one season at the University of Memphis and the past two at FCS school Tennessee State. He starred as a member of the Tigers, rushing for 1,987 yards and seven touchdowns. Starling had 56 receptions for 543 yards and one touchdown during his time with Tennessee State

His stardom as a running back started in high school at Cane Ridge in Nashville. In his senior season with the Ravens, he rushed for 2,159 yards and 25 touchdowns. 247Sports and ESPN both ranked him as a two-star prospect, and he was recruited by Memphis, Tennessee Tech and Austin Peay as well as other FCS schools.

His hudl highlight tape from his senior season showcases his skills as a running back with elite speed. Nearly every clip shows him slicing through defenses with blistering speed and gaining large chunks of yards in the process.

Starling also played return man in some instances, and one of the more notable clips shows him recovering a short field goal and returning it for a touchdown.

Starling will slot perfectly into the NAU lineup on day one, working closely alongside junior Draycen Hall to provide explosiveness to the Lumberjack backfield.

Ethan Kramer [6’5, 305 | OL | Colorado Springs, Colo. / Northern Colorado]

Krikour Koustanian [6’3, 300 | OL | Aleppo, Syria / Northern Colorado]

Kramer and Koustanian will shore up an NAU offensive line that took some big hits this offseason with the graduation/departures of Jonas Leader and PJ Poutasi. The blocking duo from Big Sky rival Northern Colorado will fit in nicely with a relatively young group of linemen.

Koustanian played primarily the guard position and Kramer the tackle. The duo helped the Bears rank 15th in the nation by allowing only 1.18 sacks per game.

Jeremiah Trojan [6’2, 219 | LB | Chandler, AZ / UCLA]

Another transfer from a PAC-12 school, Trojan finds himself a new home in Flagstaff after spending two seasons on UCLA’s active roster. The redshirt sophomore saw very limited time as a Bruin and was mainly a reserve.

In high school, however, Trojan was an electric player. In 2019, he accumulated 97 tackles, 10 of which were tackles for loss and five were sacks. In his prep football career, spanning from 2017-2019, he posted 211 tackles, 19 tackles for losses as well as seven sacks.

The Hamilton Huskies, who also play in Arizona’s top division in 6A, made the semifinals of the playoffs when Trojan was the starter there.

His hudl highlight tape, much like the other recruits on the list, shows just how dominant he was in high school. 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals all gave Trojan a three- star rating. Clips from his senior season show him getting off the line with blistering speed and making the offensive line have to adjust, which did not always work out in their favor. He also showed his ability to read the running back and adjust himself accordingly so he could make the tackle in the backfield.

Trojan should fit in nicely with an NAU defense that is in need of run stopping linebackers. He will be an elite competitor come spring ball and a welcome addition to the Lumberjack family.

BJ Wagner [6’0, 200 | DB | Orlando, FL / Western Kentucky]

Wagner, coming from an FBS school in Western Kentucky, entered the transfer portal in early December 2022. In the nine games he played as a Hilltopper, he posted 13 tackles — one for a loss, as well as a single interception coming against Hawai’i

The redshirt sophomore came out of high school a three-star prospect according to 247Sports. He was also recruited by Louisville, Missouri, Rutgers and West Virginia before committing to WKU.

As a four-year starter on the Orlando Christian Prep Warriors, Wagner accumulated 166 tackles, seven interceptions and 4.5 tackles for losses. He also played receiver, snagging 89 catches for 1,354 yards and 20 touchdowns over the course of his career.

In his senior season, Wagner helped guide his team to the playoffs, but it ended in a first-round exit.

His hudl highlight tape shows flashes of what could be an elite defensive back. Wagner possesses the ability to see where the quarterback is looking and multiple clips back that up. He also hits like a truck, laying multiple players out hard enough to cough up the football.

It will be interesting to see how Wagner fits into an NAU defense with many defensive backs already on the roster, but his previous experience in FBS football may help propel him into the starting lineup.

Shawn Dourseau [5’11,187 | DB | Perris, CA / East Carolina]

A junior out of East Carolina, another FBS school, Dourseau comes to NAU as one of their most experienced transfers. In his three seasons as a Pirate, he played 31 games, racking up 121 total tackles, one sack, one pick and one forced fumble. Dourseau primarily played as a second-unit player, but in 2021 he made four starts for the Pirates and recorded the lone interception of his career against South Florida. That play was also highlighted on ESPN’s top plays of the day segment of SportsCenter.

He came out of Citrus Hill High School in California, where he led the Hawks to the playoffs in his senior season. In that season, he posted 70 total tackles, 11 tackles for losses as well as three interceptions.

The scouting tape pinned on his Twitter showcases all aspects of his game to a tee. Some clips display his ability to make tackles and halt movement, while others show his defensive vision. One notable clip shows him tracking the quarterback’s eyes across the field to go and make a pass deflection.

Dourseau is a welcome addition to the ever-growing list of Lumberjack defensive backs. He will surely see more first-team action in Flagstaff due to his experience at a high level as well as his defensive prowess.

Mikale Greer [6’2,185 | DB | Compton, CA / San Jose State]

Greer is the third defensive back NAU added through the transfer portal. The San Jose State product appeared in just 14 games in his time as a Spartan and accumulated five tackles, though he was primarily used on special teams.

In high school, Greer played both defensive back and wide receiver. During his senior year, he snagged three interceptions. No other statistics of his were posted.

His hudl tape from his senior year gives scouts a good idea of how he actually plays on both sides of the ball. Greer has hands, and he shows that with clips from both sides of the ball. Some touchdowns he caught required him to elevate and make plays with his whole body, which is a great skill to have as a defensive back.

Other defensive clips showed his physicality and ability to make tackles in the open field, again another valuable asset to have.

Like the previous two players listed above, Greer will have an opportunity to become not only a rotational defensive back but also a potential full-time starter.

Jonathan Jones [6’4, 255 | DL | McKinney, TX / Mississippi Gulf Community College]

Jones excelled in his lone season of community college football at Mississippi Gulf. Of his 18 tackles, five were sacks and eight were tackles for losses.

At McKinney High School Jones thrived, putting up 55 tackles, 16 tackles for losses, as well as six sacks in his junior season. The Lions placed fourth in their district that year against Texas’ highest competition. 6A schools like Allen and Dallas Jesuit topped the table.

His hudl tape, like every other recruit, shows why he put up the statistics he did. Jones is a monster on the interior and multiple snippets showed him blowing through defenders to make strong tackles. He also excelled at using his hands to move past linemen, which is an essential skill for players who aim to move up in the football world.

Jones will join an NAU defensive line that lost out on one of their biggest names this offseason, Sheldon Newton. He will be a competitor for a starting spot in what could be a dominant NAU line this season.

Jonny Bortoff [6’4, 295 | OL | Quincy, IL / Missouri Western]

Jack Forsyth [6’6 ,295 | OL | Falls Church, VA / Howard]

While Bortoff and Forsyth may not have the camaraderie previously mentioned Kramer and Koustanian did, these two will certainly provide a boost to an NAU line that has to block almost an entirely new offense.

Bortoff earned two All-State selections and three All-Conference selections during his time in high school. While Forsyth helped Howard earn a share of the MEAC regular season championship this past season.

Baylor Odom [6’5, 200 | DL | Jasper, AL / Jasper High School]

Odom, a defensive lineman out of Jasper, Alabama, comes into NAU as an accomplished defender out of a 5A high school.

In his senior year, Odom racked up 41 total tackles, including five sacks and ten tackles for losses. On top of this, he scored two defensive touchdowns; both were interceptions for touchdowns. The second was in a 29-21 first-round loss to Moody High School.

Odom also played wide receiver for his team, although no statistics were listed on his MaxPreps page. However, on his hudl reel, he posted multiple clips of his snaps at receiver, all of which demonstrate the wheels this kid has.

On top of his speed, Odom possesses the ability to read the quarterback to see where the play is going. He used this to his advantage on multiple occasions that involved him stuffing a run play or halting the receiver early. Some snippets showed Odom laying the boomstick on the ball carriers, causing them to halt in their tracks and on one occasion nearly cough up the football.

The Lumberjacks already possess a vast amount of players on their defensive line but Odom’s versatility could prompt the coaching staff to move him elsewhere. One position that could work based on his size and abilities could be the linebacker position because he can catch the football as well.

Once spring ball rolls around we will know for sure what the staff decides to do with him.

Brodrick Stewart [6’2, 305 | DL | Arlington, TX / Mansfield Summit High School]

Stewart is another addition to the NAU defensive line who could make splashes this season.

He finished with 46 total tackles in his senior season, including nine tackles for loss and three sacks. Not only did he make tackles, but he also forced a fumble and recovered another loose ball.

The Mansfield Summit Jaguars finished 5-5 in 2022 and made the Texas 5A Division Two playoffs. They were eliminated in the first round 12-7 by the South Oak Cliff Bears. Stewart finished with eight total tackles and one tackle for a loss.

His hudl tape shows his power on the line. In nearly every clip Stewart was able to bowl through the defense to then finish off the play with a strong tackle. He was also able to pursue the ball carriers with some quickness and force them to make bad decisions.

Again, the Lumberjacks have an immense amount of talent on their defensive line so Stewart is another player who could see little playing time this season. However, his pure strength and power may make the coaching staff take a deeper look at how to fit him in the line rotation.

Braeden Kaczmarek [6’4, 260 | DL | Mesa, AZ / Red Mountain High School]

Kaczmarek is yet another addition to the defensive line and he has shown sparks of talent early.

The lineman out of Red Mountain High School in Mesa, Arizona helped lead his team to a 6A East Valley Regional championship, as well as the 6A Conference State Tournament semifinals in his senior season.

In his junior season, he finished with 29 tackles, nine of them being for losses and five of those being sacks. He also added a pick-six for good measure. The Mountain Lions also made the State Tournament semifinals that year.

Like the aforementioned Stewart, Kaczmarek excels in bullying the offensive line, as is apparent through his hudl clips. He also performs well in pursuit situations as his speed allows him to keep up with some of the faster running backs.

Judging where the staff will place these new linemen is difficult. Mainly because there are so many of them, but Kaczmarek may be in the same boat as Stewart and may not see a lot of playing time come the fall.

Will Wilson [6’3, 215 | LB | Tualatin, OR / Tualatin High School]

Wilson came out of a talented Tualatin defense that featured three Division I commits. In his junior season, he finished with 80 total tackles, four sacks and eight and a half tackles for losses.

In the 2021 campaign with the Timberwolves he led them to a 14-2 record and the team reached the OSAA 6A Championship game. The defense was nothing but lockdown with him at the helm, as a whole they held opponents to only 18.6 points per game.

However, Wilson’s senior season was cut short when he tore his ACL in the first game, rendering him out for the year.

If we look at hudl footage from his junior season though, he was a key piece of the Timberwolves’ stalwart defense. He excelled in following the plays all the way through multiple blockers and making the tackle at the end. The tackles he made were also solid wrap tackles, which is highly encouraging when coming to a Lumberjack team that struggled to make tackles at times.

Noting his injury, Wilson may not see any time on the field as he recovers and may be redshirted for his first year. Regardless, when he eventually does play snaps, they will be with the starters.

Brandon Boateng [6’4, 195 | WR | Santa Clarita, CA / Valencia High School]

Boateng is one of three pass catchers signed right out of high school to the Lumberjack roster, the other two being Myseth Currie and Blaise Nelson.

As a senior, Boateng caught 39 passes for 488 yards and eight touchdowns. He also was a return man, running back 10 kickoffs for 372 total yards and a 90-yard kickoff return touchdown. Following this season, he was named to the All-Foothill League first team, an honor awarded to the top players at their respective positions.

Valencia finished the regular season with a 5-5 record and reached the CIF Southern Section Division 4 State Tournament. They lost 43-17 in the first round, but Boateng finished with three receptions for 52 yards and a touchdown.

Speed is the name of the game for Boateng. His wheels give him the ability to flip the field at any given opportunity. That, combined with his size, allows him to make big body plays on many tough defenders and that is evident in his hudl tapes.

Depending on how spring ball goes, Boateng could see himself getting some firststring action based on nothing but his intangibles. However, he is still a freshman and there is always room to develop, so he will most likely play as a rotational WR3 come fall.

Myseth Currie [6’2, 175 | WR | Laveen, AZ / Cesar Chavez High School]

Currie is another wide receiver who shined in high school, albeit on a higher stage than Boateng.

For the 6A Cesar Chavez Champions in 2022, Currie caught 55 passes for 1068 yards and 15 touchdowns. These statistics earned him the honor of 6A Central Region Offensive Player of the Year. A standout performance from the season saw him catch 13 passes en route to 223 yards and two touchdowns versus Desert Vista High School. He also played defensive back and was the punt/kick returner for his squad, which helped him achieve even more honors; All-Region First Team as a punt returner and All-Region Second Team as a kick returner and defensive back. In his career on defense, he finished with 30 total tackles and one interception.

As a result of Currie’s dominance at every position he played, the Champions made the 6A state tournament for the first time since 2019, although they were demolished by the No. 1 seed Casteel 70-30 in the first round.

Currie’s hudl showcases his speed and playmaking abilities. Route running is a forté of his, and multiple clips showed him using only his hips to throw defenders off balance and get open. Getting open is only half of the story though, as Currie also showed off his catching skills with one-handed grabs and catches over defender’s heads, or what is referred to as, “mossing somebody”.

Like Boateng, Currie may fit in more as a rotational WR3 or WR4 because the top wide receivers, redshirt senior Jamal Glaspie and redshirt junior Coleman Owen, already have the top two spots on lock.

Adam Damante [6’2, 180 | QB | Gilbert, AZ / American Leadership Academy Gilbert]

Damante may be the most accomplished player coming out of high school because he led his team to a state championship.

In a season where he threw for 4769 yards and 59 touchdowns, the ALA Gilbert Eagles finished 8-2 and won the 4A Conference East Sky Region. They also clinched the No. 1 seed in the tournament and won their way to the top.

In the championship game, Damante threw for 285 yards and three touchdowns in the 28-14 win against Snowflake High School.

All of this success carried over to after-the-season honors, where Damante was named to the All-Region First Team and won the East Sky Region Player of the Year. On top of this, he was named a finalist for the Ed Doherty Award, an award given to the top high school football player in Arizona.

Throughout his whole career as an Eagle, he passed for 8772 yards in his three years on varsity, as well as 109 touchdowns. He also ran for 1047 yards with 15 touchdowns on the ground over the course of his varsity career.

All of this senior season success can be seen in his hudl tape, as with every other recruit covered here. Clips here show his ability to make good decisions and thread the needle between multiple defenders. He also has a strong arm and can launch the ball down the field at any time, given that he has time in the pocket to throw.

Damante will fit in nicely with the now-packed NAU quarterback room. He will likely be either redshirted or used potentially as the third string behind the more experienced Kai Millner and Daniel Britt.

Blaise Nelson [5’11, 165 | WR | Surprise, AZ / Valley Vista High School]

Nelson joins fellow freshmen Brandon Boateng and Myseth Currie as the new receivers signed to NAU straight out of high school.

He caught 51 balls for 661 yards and seven touchdowns in his senior year; a year in which his team went 7-3 and won the 6A Conference West Valley Region

Championship. Nelson was named to the All-Region First Team as a receiver and as a kick returner following his senior season.

Winning the region championship also clinched Valley Vista a spot in the 6A State Tournament. Coincidentally, the 6A Tournament appearance was the first for the Monsoon since 2019, although they lost 46-0 in the first round to Pinnacle.

His hudl profile says he ran a 4.43 40-yard dash, which is speed comparable to top NFL receivers today. This is apparent in the clips featured in the mixtape, as you can see Nelson torch defenders and weave through traffic to make something out of nothing.

Just like Boateng and Currie, Nelson will have a tough time breaking into the receiver rotation at NAU, but his blistering speed may help him slot in as an occasional WR4.

Dustin Reynolds [6’2, 225 | LB | Apple Valley, CA / Apple Valley High School]

Reynolds was a swiss army knife for the Sun Devils in his senior season. He played both running back and linebacker and showed out at both positions.

As a linebacker, he recorded 88 tackles with 21 tackles for losses, four and a half sacks and two interceptions. As a running back he finished with 397 rushing yards on 38 carries and scored six touchdowns, not to mention two receiving touchdowns on top of that.

He led Apple Valley to an 8-3 overall record and helped them reach the CIF Southern Section Division 2 Tournament. They lost in the first round to Inglewood, 35-21. Reynolds had 76 all-purpose yards; 63 rushing and 13 receiving, as well as a rushing touchdown.

Reynolds is a team player, and this is evident in his hudl clips. He worked well alongside his teammates to read the offense and blow up plays together. Pair this with his strength and speed, and you have the potential for a defensive stud.

Reynolds will have the chance to play alongside a talented NAU defense this season. Depending on how he meshes with the current roster, the chemistry may lead Head Coach Chris Ball to consider plugging him into some defensive sets.

Porter Reynolds [6’0, 225 | LB | Queen Creek, AZ / Queen Creek High School]

Porter Reynolds, no relation to the aforementioned Dustin Reynolds, happens to also play the linebacker position.

He finished his senior season with 115 total tackles, including seven tackles for losses, four sacks and three forced fumbles.

These stats helped him anchor a Bulldogs’ team that finished 6-4 in the regular season and reached the 6A Conference State Tournament. Queen Creek lost in the second round 24-14 to Pinnacle. Reynolds was named the Co-Region Defensive Player of the Year in the 6A East Valley Region.

His senior year was merely an upgrade to a stellar junior year, one in which he finished with 107 total tackles, four tackles for loss and one sack. He was named to the All-Region First Team and All-6A Conference First Team this season.

Like Dustin, he was also a running back and garnered 245 rushing yards and 23 receiving yards during his high school career to go with seven rushing touchdowns.

The hudl mixtape contrasts Dustin Reynolds’ to some extent. Porter’s clips showed him making more plays by himself by hawking the ball carrier down and blowing up pass plays. However, like Dustin, he also has the ability to read the quarterback well and blow up plays when they are needed most.

Porter will have a harder time fitting into the linebacker rotation, but he may get some playing time off the bench if injuries happen, or if the Lumberjacks have a large point differential with which to try new things out.

David Spruiells [5’9, 170 | DB | Dallas, TX / South Oak Cliff High School]

Spruiells is another state champion joining the NAU squad this season. In fact, he has won two state titles.

In the 2022 campaign, he finished the year with 69 total tackles, six interceptions and four passes broken up (PBUs). He helped the Golden Bears finish 13-3 on the regular season and perfect in district play, 6-0.

This team then ripped off five straight wins to clinch back-to-back state titles, capped off with a 34-24 win over Port Neches-Groves in the championship game. Spruiells recorded 10 total tackles in that game.

His junior year, when South Oak Cliff won the first of two rings, he finished with 76 tackles, two interceptions and two PBUs.

Spruiells is simply put, a ball hawk. His hudl clips show him crossing the field to snag interceptions and make plays on the ball. He is also quick on his feet, which helps him cover lots of ground quickly.

The defensive back pool in Flagstaff is filled with many talented players, so it is hard to determine at this point if Spruiells will see any action. But again, spring ball has yet to happen and the coaching staff will have until the fall season starts to figure out how he fits in.

Kyler Wilson [6’0, 180 | DB | Montgomery, TX / Montgomery High School]

Wilson is another part of the trio of defensive backs coming straight out of high school, the others being the aforementioned Spruiells as well as Alex McLaughlin.

He finished his senior season with 52 total tackles, four of which were tackles for losses. He also intercepted two passes, broke up another 12 and blocked a field goal.

As a return man, he returned five kicks for 102 yards and four punts for 100 yards, including one for a touchdown. Wilson was named to the 10-5A All-District First Team at safety and Second Team as a returner.

This was all in his senior season, but his whole career at Montgomery saw him rack up some impressive statistics.

As a junior he recorded 56 total tackles with three fumbles forced, two fumbles recovered, two interceptions and another 10 passes broken up. He earned First Team All-District and All-County as a junior. As a sophomore, he had two pick-sixes and tied the school record with eight interceptions.

His ability to cover the middle of the field is well reflected in his hudl tape, where multiple clips show him coming across the field to make plays. Much like Spruiells, Wilson also is blazing fast and that is evident through the clips of him returning punts.

Again like Spruiells, the defensive back pool is nearly full in Flagstaff, and it will be hard for him to work his way into a starting role. Second or third team is more likely to be where Wilson ends up.

Alex McLaughlin [6’2, 190 | DB | Chandler, AZ / Hamilton High School]

McLaughlin, whose brother Trent is on the basketball team, is the final defensive back of the freshman trio that NAU added to the roster.

McLaughlin finished with 107 tackles as a senior, including 17 tackles for loss and eight sacks. He tacked on just about every other statistic you can think of on top of this: seven passes broken up, three interceptions, three blocked punts, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

As deserved, he was named to the First Team All-6A Premier Region.

The Huskies finished 8-2 in the regular season to earn a berth in the Arizona Open Division State Tournament, where they lost 45-35 to Saguaro in the first round.

His junior season was just as productive, if not more so. He had 80 total tackles with eight tackles for losses and two sacks. Add on four passes broken up, a blocked punt and a blocked field goal, and you earn some honors. McLaughlin was named to the All-6A Premier Region First Team and was given All-6A Conference Honorable Mention honors.

The Huskies finished 10-0 that season and reached the Open Division State semifinals, although they were upset by Saguaro, 31-24

McLaughlin is a field general, as is shown by his hudl reel. Multiple clips showed him communicating with his defense to get in the right position to make the plays. He also showed that he was able to make the plays if need be. Combine that with his intriguing speed and strength, and McLaughlin fits the makings of a solid defensive player. Like both the other defensive players listed above, it will be hard for McLaughlin to get a starting spot, but being a second-string linebacker or defensive back is well within reach.

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