Tight end Cole Rusk is the highest-ranked incoming transfer for Arizona in the final 2026 247Sports portal rankings. With a 91 rating, Rusk is the 11th-ranked transfer TE in the 2026 class. Arizona is 49th in the final 247Sports 2026 Transfer Portal rankings and is 11th among Big XII programs.
Safety Daylen Austin is the highest-ranked defensive transfer for Arizona. Austin is the 22nd-ranked safety in the final 247Sports Transfer Portal rankings. Austin received an 89 rating in the final 247 Sports Transfer Portal rankings.
Marshall transfer Antwan Roberts moved up from the 78th-best running back in the portal to 39th in the final 247Sports 2026 rankings. Roberts has an 87 rating from 247Sports. Arizona offensive coordinator Seth Doege coached Roberts at Marshall.
Arizona has a good balance between offense and defense in its 2026 Transfer Portal class. Safety Cam Chapa, the fourth-ranked incoming transfer for Arizona, joins Austin in a rebuilt Wildcats' secondary. Five of the top nine transfers in the 2026 Arizona class are defensive backs.
New Arizona TE Cole Rusk made it easy to see what he’s all about on his X account.
— Coein Kinney (@CoeinKinney) January 7, 2026
Watch him stack the Duke DB and then high point the pass in the back of the end zone for a touchdown.pic.twitter.com/bqkdoMdKRw
Rebuilding the secondary
In addition to Austin and Chapa, Arizona also added cornerback Tyrese Boss and safeties Malcolm Hartzog and Lee Molette III among its top nine incoming transfers. Cornerbacks Dwight Bootle II and Zuri Watson add depth in the Arizona secondary among incoming transfers.
Arizona was first nationally, allowing a 97.21 passer rating to opponents in 2025. The Wildcats finished second nationally, permitting nine passing touchdowns, tied for second with Louisiana Tech, recording 22 interceptions and finished seventh with opponents averaging 165.3 passing yards per game and completing 54.0 percent of their passes.
Rusk is projected to be the starting TE for Arizona in 2026 and should be one of the leading receivers for the Wildcats. The new defensive backs for Arizona should all compete to be in the rotation for the Wildcats in 2026. Chapa, particularly, was praised during Arizona spring practice.
Roberts vaulted in the Transfer Portal rankings after a strong spring. The previous experience Roberts had playing in the Doege offense should help him with Arizona. Quincy Carter, Kedrick Reescano and Roberts provide Arizona with a quality triumvirate in the backfield.
Other key incoming transfers to watch for Arizona are USC wide receiver DJ Jordan, his former Trojan teammate, linebacker Matai Tagoa'i, LB Everett Roussaw Jr. from Memphis, a projected starter and Cal Poly edge rusher Victory Johnson. Development of the Arizona transfers will be critical for success in 2026.
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