NATCHITOCHES – When Fernando Washington arrived at Northwestern State in the spring of 2025, he wasn't sure what to expect, a not uncommon feeling for any transfer stepping into a new locker room.
 
While he braced for the usual period of adjustment to a new chapter in his life and football career, he was met with something far more meaningful.
 
"When I first got here, they (his teammates) let me in with open arms," Washington said. "They wanted to get to know me and not just the football side of me. They wanted to know me off the field. So just hanging out with everybody and getting to know everybody really translated to the football field. Because if I'm able to trust them off the field then I can definitely trust them on it."
 
That trust has already turned into production for Washington and the Demons.
 
Through the first three games of the season, Washington ranks among the Demons' leaders in tackles, piling up 17 total stops, including 3.0 tackles for loss and a sack resulting in 16 negative yards for opposing offenses.
 
His sideline-to-sideline speed showed up in the opener against Alcorn State, when he recorded a team-leading eight tackles, six of them solos stops, as the Demon defense held the Braves without an offensive touchdown in a 20-10 win. It was the first time NSU had done that since 2022 as they snapped a 20-game losing streak in the process.
 
That effort helped secure Washington a Southland Conference Player of the Week honor following his first game as a Demon.
 
His early success has come thanks in part to one of the early bonds Washington built with fellow linebacker and team captain Danny Sears. Their chemistry off the field creating a direct impact on it.
 
"I really clicked with Danny right away," Washington said. "He and I got really close right away. Him and (Preston) Hickey. I can really trust him. Sometimes I would get lost in what was going on and he led me to the right way. With us being like the generals of the defense, our relationship I feel helps the defense as a whole gel together. So it benefits more than just me having the connection, it benefits the whole team."
 
The on-field impact has been obvious, but Washington's value extends to the offensive side of the ball too with how he sharpens those around him. Offensive lineman Caleb Billiot said Washington's intensity makes every practice more game-like.
 
"Fernando is a high caliber player," Billiot said. "He gives us a lot of good looks on the show team and team third downs. Having him here at practice really helps us a lot. He likes to run sideline to sideline. He's really aggressive. He'll come in and fit the run for sure. Having a guy like that, and really anybody in that linebacker room. They all work really hard but having a guy like Fernando do what he does to challenge us throughout the week, then we feel like we can block anybody, any given day."
 
Second-year head coach Blaine McCorkle said what separates Washington is that his identity as a player fits perfectly with the position he plays.
 
"The best compliment that I think I can give Fernando Washington is that he is a football player," McCorkle said. "He was born to play linebacker; there is no doubt about it. He can rush the passer. He can get in the box and stop the run. He can drop into coverage. He can make a play at a lot of different levels on the field, and he loves the game. He loves his teammates and comes to work every single day with a smile on his face. He's quickly becoming one of our favorites around here."
 
That growth, McCorkle added, has been steady and obvious since Washington first arrived on campus. The exciting part of it for McCorkle, and Demon fans alike, is there are still even greater heights to be reached.
 
"He was here during the spring so we got to see him and what he could do and we knew we had a pretty good football player then," McCorkle said. "But for me it was watching him all summer work with (Director of Strength and Conditioning) coach (Jason) Smelser, really bond to his teammates and the attitude he came to work with, I knew then he had the chance to be really special. 
 
"He's still young in our defense but I think he's one that as he learns and grows in his football I.Q., develops and matures a little, he can be as good as he wants to be within our defense. It's going to be fun to watch the rest of the year how much he grows and continues to make plays for us."
 
In just a few months, Washington has gone from newcomer to one of the defensive cornerstones – and he'll look to add another big performance when the Demons visit Prairie View A&M on Saturday night.