FARMINGTON, Utah (Nov. 25, 2024) – Northern Arizona football player
Alex McLaughlin has been tabbed the Big Sky Conference's Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season and the third time in his career, the league office announced this morning.
McLaughlin shares the honor with Rylan Ortt from Montana State, and also earned Stats Perform FCS National Defensive Player of the Week Honorable Mention.
The sophomore was instrumental in Northern Arizona's 30-18 victory over Eastern Washington. In addition to racking up a career-high 13 tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss, McLaughlin came up with an interception on EWU's final drive to seal the victory for the Lumberjacks – picking the perfect time to come away with his first pick of the season and fifth of his career.
This season, McLaughlin ranks second on the team and 13th in the Big Sky with 85 total tackles, 34 of which are solo, to average 7.1 per game. He has racked up 5.5 sacks which is good for third in the Big Sky, 6.0 tackles for loss, four pass breakups, three quarterback hurries, an interception, and two forced fumbles that were both recovered for defensive touchdowns.
In 2023 as a true freshman, McLaughlin was named to the Jerry Rice Award Watchlist, was named a Freshman All-American by FCS Stats Perform and made second team All-Big Sky Defense.
McLaughlin and the rest of the Lumberjacks earned an at-large berth to the FCS Playoffs and will take on No. 15 Abilene Christian in the first round on Saturday, Nov. 30 at 1 p.m. Mountain Standard time on ESPN+ in Abilene, Texas.
