The 2026 Arizona class received a B- from Brad Sheppard of The Bleacher Report as part of his article "Grading Every Top 25 CFB Team's 2026 Recruiting Class on Day 1 of Early Signing Period." The 2026 Arizona class is 37th nationally in the 247Sports composite rankings and fifth in the Big XII.
Arizona set a program record with seven four-star signees in the 2026 class. The 2026 Arizona class is led by four-star prospects, quarterback Oscar Rios and wide receiver R.J. Mosley. The immediate future for Rios will depend on the return of Arizona QB Noah Fifita. Fifita has one more year of eligibility remaining.
Other key signees for Arizona are four-star prospects, offensive lineman Malachi Joyner and Justin Morales and running back Brandon Smith. Arizona head coach Brent Brennan and his staff showed confidence in their 2025 freshman with several making an impact.
Arizona improved after signing the 50th-ranked class in 2025. The average rating of 87.46 per player in the 2026 Arizona class from 247Sports is the highest in program history. Rivals ranks the 2026 Arizona class 40th nationally and seventh in the Big XII. ESPN ranked the 2026 Arizona class 36th nationally.
"No. 22 Arizona WildcatsBrad Shepard, The Bleacher Report
Key Signees: 4-star QB Oscar Rios, 4-star WR RJ Mosley, 4-star OT Malachi Joyner
Analysis: The recruiting trajectory in Tucson is completely different than it was a year ago for coach Brent Brennan, and this is shaping up to be a very strong class for the Wildcats.
Rios can really spin it and at 6'3", he'll be a much more traditional passer than Noah Fifita. There are weapons like RJ Mosley, Caleb Smith and Brandon Smith and terrific offensive linemen like Joyner and Justin Morales. This isn't the type of class Arizona is used to signing.
Because of that, they get a grade increase.
Grade: B-"
Arizona was the 15th best graded class by Shepard among the Top 25 teams. A five-game winning streak to end the season with a 9-3 record vaulted Arizona into the national rankings. Arizona moved up seven spots in the College Football Playoff rankings to 18th after its 23-7 win at Arizona State on Friday.
At 6'3 and 175 pounds, Rios will eventually provide Arizona with a more traditionally sized QB than Fifita. Rios is a versatile QB who has completed 63.4 percent of his pass attempts for 8,070 yards, 77 touchdowns and 17 interceptions with 2,227 rushing yards and another 25 scores in his high school career.
Rios is the fourth-ranked 2026 QB who signed with a Big XII program. Billy Tucker of ESPN named Rios and Jake Fette of Arizona State as its two 2026 QBs who could start early. Rios' starting early for Arizona will be almost solely dependent on whatever decision Fifita makes for a 2026 return.
Arizona has signed 20 players on the opening day of the early signing period.
— Justin Spears (@JustinESports) December 3, 2025
The Wildcats have the No. 35 class nationally and the fifth-best class in the Big 12, according to @247Sports.
Expect Brennan and the Arizona staff to hit the transfer portal hard to supplement the 2026 class. Arizona finished 9-3 this season in large part because of the development of transfers added during the 2025 portal. The Wildcats lose several of those transfers, plus other key players, after the 2025 season.
Running back and the secondary will be positions to watch for Arizona in the portal. Joyner, Morales and Mosley are all freshmen who can contribute to Arizona in 2026. Expect Arizona to add potential starters through the portal also.