Arizona has had six defensive players selected in the first round of the NFL Draft in its program history. The last Arizona defensive player to be a first-round pick in the NFL Draft was cornerback Antoine Cason in 2008. Arizona is a long shot to have a first-round pick in 2026.
Lineman Mike Dawson was the inaugural defensive player to be selected in the first round from Arizona. The St. Louis Cardinals selected Dawson 22nd overall in the 1976 NFL Draft. Dawson played in 113 games with 90 starts in seven seasons with St. Louis and one each with the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs.
Dawson was named to the Professional Football Writers Association All-Rookie team in 1976. Prior to his NFL career, Dawson was the WAC Lineman of the Year in 1975 and was named an Associated Press All-American in 1975.
Linebacker Ricky Hunley, the highest pick in Arizona history, seventh overall in the 1984 Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals, was the next Wildcat defensive player drafted in the first round. Hunley was traded to the Denver Broncos for a 1986 first-round picks 1985 third-rounder in October 1984 after a contract holdout with Cincinnati.
Player | Arizona Years | NFL Team | Year Drafted | Pick | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mike Dawson | 1972-75 | St. Louis | 1976 | 22 | DL |
Ricky Hunley | 1980-83 | Cincinnati | 1984 | 7 | LB |
Chris Singleton | 1986-89 | New England | 1990 | 8 | LB |
Anthony Smith | 1987-89 | L.A. Raiders | 1990 | 11 | DE |
Chris McAllister | 1996-98 | Baltimore | 1999 | 10 | CB |
Antoine Cason | 2004-07 | San Diego | 2008 | 27 | DB |
The next generation
Chris Singleton was the second-highest pick in Arizona history when he was selected eighth overall by the New England Patriots in 1990. Singleton played 90 games with 65 starts with New England and the Miami Dolphins from 1990 through 1996.
Singleton had 341 tackles, two interceptions, one returned for a touchdown, five fumble recoveries, four forced fumbles and seven sacks in his NFL career. While playing for Arizona, Singleton donated bone marrow to his brother Kevin, also a Wildcats' LB, who was battling leukemia.
Defensive end Anthony Smith was the 11th overall pick in the 1990 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Raiders. Singleton and Smith are the only Arizona teammates selected in the first round of the same NFL Draft. In 98 career games over eight seasons, all with the Raiders, Smith made 50 starts.
Smith finished his career with 228 tackles, 57.5 sacks, 14 forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries, one returned for a TD and one safety. Smith recorded 36 sacks during the first three seasons of his NFL career, with only 21.5 over his final four years in the NFL.
Defensive back Chris McAlister was the 10th pick in the 1999 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens. In an 11-year career, McAlister played in 137 games with 127 starts. McAlister won Super Bowl XXXV with Baltimore, was a first-team All-Pro in 2003, second-team All-Pro in 2004 and a Pro Bowler in 2003, 2004 and 2006)
McAlister finished his NFL career with 438 tackles, 11 TFLs, 138 passes defended, 26 interceptions, five returned for TDs, nine fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles. In his last three NFL seasons, to with Baltimore and one with the New Orleans Saints, McAlister played in only 16 games total.
Cornerback Antoine Cason was the 27th pick by the San Diego Chargers in the 2008 NFL Draft and the last Arizona defensive player taken in the first round. Cason played in 110 games with 60 starts over seven NFL seasons with the Chargers, Cardinals, Carolina Panthers and Baltimore.
Cason had 381 tackles, 7.0 TFLs, 16 interceptions, two returned for TDs, five fumble recoveries and one returned for a TD. After surgery on his right foot in June 2015, Cason never played again in the NFL. Cason had a solid NFL career after being one of the best players in Arizona history.
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