Huskies Welcome Laiatu Latu's Brother Into the Program

One of the most disappointing moments for the University of Washington football program came when promising edge rusher Laiatu Latu medically retired as a Husky in 2021, unable to continue because of a neck injury.

Now comes one of the more enlightening developments involving the Latus and the Huskies where younger brother Keleki, a 6-foot-7, 237-pound senior tight end, announced on Sunday night he will transfer to the UW from Nevada.

This Latu sibling was the third player of the day to reveal he was UW-bound, following news that Arizona wide receiver Kevin Green Jr. and running back Jordan Washington were transferring into Montlake.

Keleki Latu formed this new family connection with the Huskies a week after Laiatu, getting a career reprieve with clearance to play two seasons at UCLA, was drafted as the Indianapolis Colts' No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft.

In this latest Latu, the Huskies will get a player likewise from Sacramento who spent two seasons at California before joining Nevada last year. Injured at times, he has career totals at the two schools of 36 catches for 434 and 2 touchdowns.

One of his scoring grabs was a 3-yard catch against Fisch and Arizona in 2022, putting the Golden Bears ahead for good at 28-24 in the third quarter of a 49-31 victory for Cal.

Latu also had the opportunity to play against his brother when Cal and UCLA met in 2022, with the Bruins taking a 35-28 win in Berkeley.

Laiatu's injury had weighed heavily on all of the family members, with his football career seemingly ended in Seattle from a practice injury. He played well as a freshman in 2019, was injured in practice leading up to the COVID-shortened season the next year and didn't p lay, and then simply attended the UW in 2021.

"It was really a tough moment in his life and our lives," Keleki Latu told Nevada Sports Net. "I wished most that he could come back and play. I prayed every day. During his time off, I tried my best to do, my best for him, so I could prove that I could be just like him." 

This Latu bolsters a UW tight-end position group that was on the thin side in experienced players after Devin Culp and Jack Westover finished up and turned to the NFL. Latu will compete with senior Quentin Moore, sophomore Ryan Otton and freshmen Decker DeGraaf and Charlie Crowell for playing time.

For the latest UW football and basketball news,