#Woof: Huskies Pick Up Familiar TE Transfer

#Woof: Huskies Pick Up Familiar TE Transfer

It has been clear for a while that Washington needed to add a veteran tight end to the roster and they accomplished that goal tonight as Nevada transfer Keleki Latu committed to the Huskies. That name should be familiar for Husky fans as Keleki started his college career at Cal and is the younger brother of former Dawg (and recent 1st round NFL draft pick Laiatu). He has one year of eligibility remaining.

Latu was a mid three-star recruit coming out of high school in Carmichael, California and was ranked as the #59 tight end in the country in the 247 Sports Composite. Listed at the time as 6’6 and 205 pounds he chose the Bears over offers from ASU, Oregon, USC, and Utah but didn’t get the offer to join his brother with the Huskies.

He started his college career appearing in 10 games as a reserve catching 4 balls for 48 yards with a TD. Latu’s playing time increased as a sophomore to nearly 400 snaps but couldn’t quite earn a starting role while catching 18 passes for 207 yards and another TD. Latu opted to enter the transfer portal and visited Washington last year but ended signing with Nevada.

Moving to the Mountain West, Latu was able to start the first 6 games of the year for the Wolfpack and in that half season nearly equaled his totals of the previous season with 14 catches for 179 yards. But on his longest gain of the season, a 30-yard catch and run, Latu fractured his fibula after his foot rolled under a defender causing him to fumble and ending his season. He’ll hope to recover as well from a serious injury as his brother ended up doing although this time doing it in Seattle.

Latu was listed at 6’7 and 230 pounds on the Nevada roster and gives the Huskies some much needed depth. The Huskies lost Devin Culp and Jack Westover to graduation while heir apparent Josh Cuevas transferred to Alabama. Quentin Moore and Ryan Otton return while true freshman Decker DeGraaf showed flashes this spring but that trio has a total of 29 fewer career college catches than Latu. Expect Keleki to play heavily even if he doesn’t beat out Moore as the primary starting tight end.