Washington State 2025 Player Spotlight: LB Parker McKenna

The 2025 Washington State football squad will be defined by how well the old blends with the new. It's been talked about time and time again just how significant this year's transfer class, of which many come over from South Dakota State alongside head man Jimmy Rogers, will be to the team's overall success. Equally important, however, will be the continued development of guys that the Cougars already had on the roster. Those who stuck around will be looked upon to lead by example and, on defense at least, the biggest name in that department will surely be that of senior linebacker Parker McKenna.

McKenna, a native of Beaverton, Oregon, left his home state a little more than a year ago to join WSU. Despite an injury that sideline him for the 2022 campaign, he had productive 2021 and 2023 seasons with the Portland State Vikings down at the FCS level. He opted to make the move up to Pullman following that and It was a decision that paid off partly last year but looks as though it will return in full for both McKenna and the Cougs this fall. He is now projected to take over the starting role in the middle of the defense.

In 2024, he appeared in all 13 games, starting one. He made 39 stops, forced a fumble, logged a sack and broke up a pass. With studs like Kyle Thornton and Taariq Al-Uqdah gone, McKenna is set to take the mantle and his year of familiarity with the team is something that should serve the new-look Cougars defense well.

"We have a new defense," McKenna admitted plainly to reporters following Washington State's Crimson and Grey game that wrapped up Spring practices on April 12. "I would say compared to last Spring with that defense, I'm defenitely ahead... I'm where I want to be right now but this summer I've got to keep getting better and better with the playbook."

"All those guys they brought from SDSU are great," he followed up when talking about his new defensive teammates. "I think [Anthony] Polano, Carsten [Reynolds] are great. We've got some good depth at backer for sure."

McKenna will take charge of a linebacking corps that will be composed mainly of fresh faces. He and senior Keith Brown are the only two upperclassmen returnees at the position and of those two, he saw significantly more action a season ago than Brown did.

This will be McKenna's final season of eligibility and he will be looking to close out his college career on a high enough note to garner NFL attention.

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