It's transfer season, and the Arizona Wildcats are once again active.
Former USC outside linebacker Hunter Echols committed to the Wildcats on Monday. He entered the transfer portal in December upon the hiring of new head coach Lincoln Riley.
Less than an hour after Echols committed, cornerback McKenzie Barnes announced that he would be leaving the UA as a graduate transfer. He'll have two seasons of eligibility at his next school. A Fresno, California native, Barnes appeared in two games in each of the last two seasons after playing in eight during the 2019 season. Barnes had one tackle in 2021, against Arizona State.
Echols arrives at the UA with a deeper resume. In four seasons at USC, the 6-foot-5-inch, 245-pound Echols recorded 50 tackles, three pass deflections and 1.5 sacks.
Hunter Echols plays a position of need — linebacker.
Echols, a grad transfer, addresses a position of need following the departures of linebackers Anthony Pandy, Kenny Hebert, Treshaun Hayward and Rashie Hodge. Echols will play alongside returning starter Jerry Roberts, who suffered a leg injury on the first play of Arizona's loss to Washington State; former Wisconsin Badger Malik Reed; and Issaiah Johnson, among others. The Wildcats have also signed two high school linebackers: Three-star inside linebacker Tyler Martin and four-star outside linebacker Sterling "Deuce" Lane, who is one of the highest-rated commits in Arizona's '22 class.
Echols is the second defensive player to transfer to Arizona, joining former UCLA safety DJ Warnell. They'll play for first-year defensive coordinator Johnny Nansen and new outside linebackers coach Jason Kaufusi, both of whom coached at UCLA last season.
