Arizona is tied for second nationally with Kansas, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State and UCLA with 18 transfers committed for 2025. Arizona has been impacted as much as anyone nationally, losing 31 players to the transfer portal. Brent Brennan and his staff have quickly added one of the biggest 2025 transfer portal classes.
Arizona has added 11 offensive transfers and seven on defense to its 2025 roster. With 31 players entering the transfer portal, Brennan and his staff needed to target several positions in the transfer portal. Most important is the return of safeties Dalton Johnson and Genesis Smith after they initially entered the transfer portal.
The return of quarterback Noah Fifita when he would have had an opportunity to enter the transfer portal for the second straight season is critical to set the foundation for the 2025 Arizona roster. Arizona also added Braedyn Locke from Wisconsin at QB to backup Fifita. Locke started 12 games for Wisconsin in the last two years.
Arizona has targeted the Football Bowl Subdivision to add All-Americans and All-Conference players ready to make the step up, Edge rusher Chancellor Owens and linebacker Blake Gotcher both transfers from Northwestern State will be players to watch for Arizona in 2025. Gotcher and Owens should compete to start.
"Arizona Wildcats (18)Grant Hughes, 247Sports
Transfer Class Breakdown | 5-Stars: 0 | 4-Stars: 0 | 3-Stars: 14
Overall Class Rank: No. 23
Arizona lost talented cornerbacks Tacario Davis and Emmanuel Karnley to the portal after a 4-8 season but is looking to reload the roster with a heavy transfer class. Former San Jose State cornerback Michael Dansby is a key addition to the Wildcats' backfield. He started 11 games for the Spartans as a junior in 2024, breaking up six passes with two interceptions."
Hughes summarized the above in an article last week about the programs that have added transfers to their 2025 rosters. Dansby played for Brennan at San Jose State and is the highest-rated incoming Arizona transfer with wide receiver Luke Wysong from New Mexico.
Arizona currently has the 19th-ranked 2025 transfer class. Mississippi State and UCLA rank ahead of Arizona with programs that have 18 commitments. Kansas and Oklahoma State are behind Arizona among programs with 18 transfers committed for 2025. The Arizona transfer class is third in the Big XII behind Texas Tech and Colorado.
Central Florida which leads the nation with 19 incoming 2025 transfers has the 26th ranked transfer class nationally and is seventh in the Big XII. Arizona is not likely finished adding players for 2026. The transfer portal closed on December 28 for teams whose seasons finished. Players still playing have five days to enter the transfer portal.