The money flowing into college football has changed the way programs like Arizona build, and the Wildcats are starting to see that ripple all the way to Sundays.
With the new Name Image and Likeness system in place, schools have been able to spend more aggressively on recruiting and retaining talent. The Big 12 is averaging $21,607,000 per program, and Arizona has put roughly $20,000,00 into its players for the 2026 season. That kind of investment has helped raise the level of play in Tucson, and it’s showing up in the NFL pipeline.
Arizona now has 14 current players on NFL rosters, including five members of the 2025 secondary to begin the season. Four of those defensive backs are still active in the league.
On defense, safety Genesis Smith has made the most noise. He’s been turning heads for a Chargers team that has struggled, and he already has multiple interceptions. Both of those picks came against Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills in a Week 2 loss, with Allen entering that game as the 2024 NFL MVP.
The Raiders have their own pair of Wildcats in the secondary, with Treydan Stukes and Dalton Johnson both seeing the field for a team that opened fast before cooling off. Stukes, though, has stood out more than most. He grabbed an interception in Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins, and the 6-foot-2 safety, selected 38th overall, has looked every bit like a player who belonged there midway through his first NFL season.
Ayden Garnes is the lone member of that 2025 Arizona secondary who has yet to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but he appears ready to make his mark when the chance comes.
On offense, the name to circle is Tetairoa McMillan. The 2025 Offensive Rookie of the Year put up 70 catches for 1,014 yards and 7 touchdowns last season, and he’s on pace to top that production this year with 625 yards and 3 touchdowns more than halfway through the season.
Panthers head coach Dave Canales spoke about McMillan before the season and pointed to the work he put in physically after his rookie year.
“He (McMillan) kinda was just a man on a mission to get stronger to be able to feel that power in his game. That really is a part of his game that needed to be addressed,” Canales said.
“He really wanted to do that, and he attacked it, put on some good, solid mass. He’s been great at the line of scrimmage, rugged to the ball.
And he’s still got all the same (other) stuff.”
Arizona has also had success on special teams. Tyler Loop, drafted in 2025 after starring at the U of A, is kicking for the Baltimore Ravens and has been sharp, making 76.5% of his field goals with a long of 64 yards. His biggest moment so far came with a game-winning 56-yard field goal in Rio de Janeiro to beat the Dallas Cowboys 34-31.
There are other Wildcats making their way in the league, too. Jacory Croskey-Merrit is in the Washington Commanders’ backfield rotation, Jordan Morgan is with the Green Bay Packers, and Jonah Savaiinea is with the Miami Dolphins. Croskey-Merrit has dealt with injuries, but he’s still given Washington a useful boost with 239 yards and 2 touchdowns.
All told, Arizona’s NFL presence has grown in recent years, and that jump has been especially noticeable after last year, when four of the 14 current players came out of the draft.
In Other News...
Auburn Faces An Early Proving Ground Against Arizona
Arizona has steadied itself since dropping its season opener to UCLA, knocking off Cal Poly and Northern Arizona to get back on track. Now comes a much bigger test, with unbeaten Auburn waiting in a matchup that should tell a lot about where both programs stand this early in the season. For Arizona, it is the kind of game that can sharpen the rotation, expose weaknesses and show whether the Wildcats are ready for a higher level of competition.
The spotlight will be on several pieces for Arizona, starting with Derek Dixon and Motiejus Krivas as the Wildcats try to match Auburns pace and physicality. Arizona also needs more from its younger perimeter options to complement the established frontcourt presence, especially in a game where every possession figures to matter. Against a ranked-caliber opponent with momentum on its side, the Wildcats are looking for more than a competitive showing. They need proof that the early progress has real staying power. [Read more 🡒]
Arizona Faces Early Reality Check In Toughest Test Yet
Arizonas early-season road test gets a lot more demanding on November 13, when the Wildcats are set to face Auburn in a matchup that arrives with some immediate stakes attached. After a recent loss to UCLA, Arizona is still looking for its first road win of the season, and this trip offers a chance to reset against a program that has started fast and will provide a very different kind of challenge than the one the Wildcats just saw.
The history between the schools adds another layer, even if the current focus is squarely on how Arizona responds away from home. Auburn has been rolling, and the game will also put the Wildcats in front of some of the Tigers top recent performers, making this more than just another nonconference date on the calendar. For Arizona, it is the kind of early measuring-stick game that can reveal a lot about where the team stands before the schedule settles in. [Read more 🡒]
Arizona Title Hopes Already Face A Toughness Problem
Coming off a record-setting 2025-2026 run, Arizona entered the new season with the kind of expectations that usually come with a roster reload and a national-title standard. But with key players gone to the NBA, Tommy Lloyd is already dealing with a different kind of issue than simply replacing production. The early concern is less about talent than edge, with the Wildcats looking less physical than they were a year ago and not yet showing the same level of fight that carried them through last season.
Lloyd has pointed to effort and defensive lapses in the opening stretch, and the numbers back up the unease. Arizona is giving up too many points and too many clean looks from deep, which is a dangerous combination for a team that wants to stay in the title picture. The bigger question now is whether this group can rediscover the toughness that made the program so hard to handle, because without it, the margin for error in a loaded season gets very thin. [Read more 🡒]