Arizona is third in the Big XII in the ESPN "Ranking the offseason for every Power 4 college football team." The Wildcats have stability with the returns of offensive coordinator Seth Doege and defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales, plus Noah Fifita entering his fourth season as starting quarterback.
ESPN based its rankings on "Roster additions through the portal and the high school ranks, Retention of top players who could leave for the NFL draft or the portal and Coaching staff continuity or key additions/upgrades." Arizona scored well in all three aspects.
ESPN listed wide receiver Rodney Gallagher III, tight end Cole Rusk and safety Cam Chapa as the three key additions for Arizona in 2026. The top incoming recruits for Arizona, according to ESPN, are defensive lineman Prince Williams, QB Oscar Rios and WR R.J. Mosley.
Gallagher III had 64 receptions for 605 yards and three touchdowns and 45 carries for 221 rushing yards in three seasons at West Virginia. Rusk had 19 receptions for 217 yards and one TD at Illinois in 2025. Chapa had 171 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, eight interceptions, 12 passes defended, two forced fumbles and one recovery in two seasons at Northern Colorado.
Mosley and Williams should compete for snaps in 2026. If Fifita stays healthy, Rios will redshirt and be the favorite to be the Arizona starting QB in 2027. Arizona signed the 42nd-ranked class in the 2026 247Sports composite rankings.
Any discussion about retention or players who could leave for the NFL Draft or the portal after the 2025 season for Arizona begins and ends with Fifita. Fifita returning for Arizona in 2026 sets the foundation for the entire program and the upcoming season.
Arizona has been mentioned in way-too-early preseason rankings. Fox Sports' top college football analyst, Joel Klatt has Arizona 20th and USA Today has the Wildcats 17th in their way-too-early preseason rankings. The expectations for Arizona are significantly higher entering 2026 than they were in 2025.
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