Washington continues to actively reshape its defensive front through the transfer portal as the Huskies balance incoming reinforcements with outgoing departures. The latest developments include the addition of a proven SEC defensive tackle and the exit of another interior lineman, further highlighting the ongoing roster turnover in Seattle.
The 6-foot-2, 315-pound defensive tackle who previously played at Mississippi State, has committed to Washington via the transfer portal, according to On3’s Pete Nakos. McClendon becomes the seventh player to pledge to the Huskies since the portal opened on Jan. 2 and will arrive with three seasons of eligibility remaining.
Kai McClendon made an early impact with the Bulldogs during his true freshman season in 2024, totaling 30 tackles, two tackles for loss and half a sack while starting five games and appearing in 12 overall. His momentum was slowed when he suffered a torn ACL during spring practices, forcing him to miss the entire 2025 season while rehabbing and taking a redshirt. As a result, he will enter Washington as a third year sophomore.
Pro Football Focus credited McClendon with eight total pressures in 2024, including five hurries, two quarterback hits and one sack. He missed only two tackles across 411 defensive snaps and spent most of his time working in the A and B gaps, suggesting he could factor into the rotation at nose tackle.
A native of Gulfport, Mississippi, McClendon is the third interior defensive lineman to commit to Washington this cycle. The Huskies also announced the additions of former Sacramento State defensive tackle DeSean Watts and former Ball State defensive tackle Darin Conley earlier in the week.
Washington entered the offseason needing reinforcements up front after losing defensive tackles Ta’ita’i Uiagalelei, Anterio Thompson and Bryce Butler following the 2025 season. Uiagalelei, along with nose tackles Logan Sagapolu and Simote Pepa, exhausted their eligibility. Thompson opted for the NFL Draft, while Butler transferred to Texas Tech. True freshman Caleb Smith also entered the transfer portal.
That turnover left UW with returning defensive linemen Elinneus Davis, Jayvon Parker, Omar Khan and Dominic Macon. Davis played a significant role in 2025 and has already announced his return for 2026. Parker is recovering from a season ending injury similar to McClendon’s, while Khan and Macon have seen limited action, combining for just one career appearance.
Defensive tackle reportedly enters transfer portal
While Washington added depth to its defensive line, the Huskies also saw another departure.
Defensive lineman Armon Parker, a 6-foot-3, 320-pound interior lineman and the twin brother of Jayvon Parker, is expected to enter the transfer portal, according to On3’s Pete Nakos. He is the 16th Washington player to enter the portal since it opened.
A Detroit native, Parker did not make his Washington debut until his fourth season due to injuries that sidelined him for his first three years. In 2025, he appeared in eight games and recorded eight tackles, one tackle for loss and one sack before suffering another season ending ACL injury late in the year.
One of Parker’s most memorable moments came in his home state against No. 18 Michigan on Oct. 18, when he was able to share the field with his twin brother. That contest marked Jayvon Parker’s only appearance of the 2025 season after he returned from a season ending Achilles injury suffered in 2024.