Huskies Who Went Elsewhere And How They've Fared

We track three dozen former UW players and their current roles.

Mississippi offensive guard Nate Kalepo (71) , formerly of the UW, pass protects against Furman. / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Sav'ell Smalls and Kuao Peihopa changed positions, both going from defense to the offensive side. Mishael Powell leads an unbeaten team in interceptions. Asa Turner played one game, got hurt and hasn't returned. Sam Huard hasn't appeared in any outings and he's healthy. Dylan Morris has thrown a solitary pass.

Such are the trials and tribulations for some of the three dozen former University of Washington football players who are wearing different uniforms this season across the college football landscape. Of 36 who transferred out of Montlake, 14 are full-time starters elsewhere.

Powell, who spent five seasons with the Huskies and went from walk-on to starting cornerback and nickelback, has found the best landing spot so far among all of these relocated UW players -- he's a starting safety with a team-best 3 interceptions for an 8-0 Miami team that beat Louisville 52-45 on the road on Saturday.

Showing what a small world it is in the college game guided by the transfer portal, Powell came up and tackled Louisville tight end Mark Redman on a first-quarter pass play over the middle. They were UW teammates in 2020 and 2021. The 6-foot-5, 255-pound Redman, a senior, caught a 3-yard touchdown pass against Miami.

HUSKIES GONE ELSEWHERE
Lonyatta Alexander Jr., WR, Montana State	Starter, 14 catches, 170 yards for 8-0 team
Davon Banks, CB, Boise State	Reserve, 11 tackles, sack, 2 PBUs
Jakson Berman, S, San Diego State	Played in 2 games on special teams
Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama	Starter, 25 catches, 381 yards, 2 scores
Parker Brailsford, C, Alabama	Started all 7 games
Julius Buelow, OG, Ole Miss	Started 6 of 7 games at right guard
Josh Calvert, LB, Utah	Reserve, has 2 tackles
Jacobe Covington, CB, USC	Started 5 of 6 games, 18 tackles, 2 PBUs
Josh Cuevas, TE, Alabama	Reserve, 8 catches for 96 yards and TD
Ethan Garbers, QB, UCLA	Starter, 124-191 passes, 1,484 yards, 8 TDs
Jaivion Green, CB, Stanford	4-game starter, interception
Austin Harnetiaux, LB, Nevada	Reserve in 8 games, 17 tackles
Geirean Hatchett, OG, Oklahoma	Played in 3 games, 1 start, out for season
Daniel Heimuli, LB, Georgia State	Reserve in 4 games, 11 tackles
Tim Horn, PK, Rice	Reserve, made 1 of 2 FGs
Sam Huard, QB, Utah	Hasn't played in a game
Anthony James, DL, Eastern Washington	Hasn't played in a game
Caden Jumper, TE, Murray State	Starter in all 6 games, no catches
Nate Kalepo, OG, Ole Miss	Started all 7 games
Jalen Klemm, OT, Arizona State	Hasn't played in a game
Taeshaun Lyons, WR, Utah	3 games, 1 catch for 4 yards
Austin Mack, QB, Alabama	Hasn't played in a game
Cooper McDonald, ER, TCU	5-game starter, 22 tackles, 2.5 sacks
Emeka Megwa, RB, Oklahoma	Hasn't played in a game
Dylan Morris, QB, James Madison	3 games, 1-1 passing for 6 yards
Jabbar Muhammad, CB, Oregon	7-game starter, 7 PBUs
Myles Murao, OG, San Diego State	Reserve after starting 2 early games
Will Nixon, RB, Syracuse	Played in 3 games, 19 carries for 80 yards
Meki Pei, S, Hawaii	2 games played, 4 tackles on special teams
Kuao Peihopa, OG, Hawaii	Started all seven games
Mishael Powell, S, Miami	Starter, 3 interceptions, including 67-yarder
Sawyer Racanelli, WR, Montana	Reserve, 18 catches for 165 yards
Mark Redman, TE, Louisville	7-game starter, 11 grabs, 139 yards, 3 TDs
Sav'ell Smalls, TE, Colorado	Has 5 catches for 91 yards, 1 start
Asa Turner, S, Florida	Played in 1 game, injured
Cam Williams, S, Georgia Southern	Reserve, 21 tackles, sack, PBU, safety

A state away, four former Huskies were among those feeling the heat, as well as former UW coach Kalen DeBoer, for a second Alabama loss in seven games this season, this time a 24-17 defeat at Tennessee. Germie Bernard, a junior and the Crimson Tide's second-leading receiver, caught 5 passes for 72 yards, sophomore Parker Brailsford started at center and junior tight end Josh Cuevas and redshirt freshman quarterback Austin Mack didn't appear in the game.

Ethan Garbers, the most visible of four former Husky quarterbacks playing elsewhere, led UCLA to something the Huskies couldn't pull off -- a road win at Rutgers. In a 35-32 victory, Garbers threw touchdown passes of 5, 22, 67 and 9, and ran for a fifth score from 49 yards out. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound senior completed 32 of 38 passes for 383 yards as he enjoyed a career outing.

UCLA quarterback Ethan Garbers, the former Husky, threw 4 touchdown passes and ran for a fifth score at Rutgers. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Of the other one-time UW signal-callers, Dylan Morris at James Madison, Sam Huard at Utah and Alabama's Mack didn't play on Saturday. Morris, the Huskies' starter in 2020 and 2021, has appeared in three games and thrown and completed a pass for 6 yards. Huard hasn't played at all for the Utes against TCU, even with starter Cam Rising lost with a season-ending knee injury. Mack continues to hold a clipboard for the Crimson Tide.

At Ole Miss, which is 5-2 and had a bye this weekend, former Huskies Nate Kalepo and Julius Buelow are the starting guards, with Kalepo opening every game on the left side and Buelow drawing six starts on the right side.

The 6-foot-3, 295-pound Peihopa returned to the state of Washington for football for the first time since he was dismissed by the UW in 2022 for some sort of disagreement with the DeBoer coaching staff. A junior, Peihopa has started every game at right offensive guard for his 2-5 team, including Saturday's 41-20 loss to Washington State, after starting all 13 games in 2023 at defensive tackle.

Smalls, formerly a UW edge rusher, is a 6-foot-3, 265-pound junior tight end for Colorado. He's appeared in every game for the 5-2 Buffaloes, starting once against Colorado State. In a 34-7 victory over Arizona on Saturday, Smalls caught a pass for 10 yards, giving him 5 grabs for 41 yards on the season.

Caden Jumper, a Husky reserve tight end in 2021 and 2022, left because he didn't fit in DeBoer's pass-happy offense. He transferred to Murray State, where he's started every game for the 1-5 Racers this season -- but he has no catches for the run-heavy team. His only stats are a kickoff return for 4 yards against South Dakota and a tackle against North Dakota.

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