2024 NFL Draft: Arizona football players that have declared following the Alamo Bowl

Potentially undrafted

McLachlan went from an unknown Southern Utah transfer with 168 career yards over two seasons to a focal point of the Arizona offense over the 2022 and 2023 seasons. He had the best season of his career in 2023, posting 45 receptions for 528 yards (11.7 yards per catch) and four touchdowns. He finished his Arizona career with 79 catches for 984 yards (12.4 yards per catch) and six touchdowns. He passed the legendary Rob Gronkowski for the most career catches by a tight end in an Arizona uniform.

Despite how integral he was to the Wildcats' offense, he likely won't be taken until the later rounds. He has solid size, sitting at 6 foot 5 and 245 pounds, so he could crack his way onto a 53-man rosters after the cuts roll around. He's shown solid athleticism, good hands, and has a few highlight-worthy hurdles, so he could occupy a role as a backup receiving tight end in the NFL.

Upshaw, in his sole season with Arizona, perfectly filled the role vacated by Hunter Echols following the 2022 season. Upshaw was the best edge rusher for the Wildcats, posting a team-leading and career-best 8.5 sacks in 2023. He paired that with 31 tackles (17 solo), a forced fumble, and a pass defended at the line. Upshaw also posted his first multi-sack game in his career against Stanford, where he recorded two.

Upshaw will likely have to wait to hear his name called until Day 3, with a passing chance he ends up as an undrafted free agent. Regardless, he will have a home in the NFL next year and the worst-case scenario is that he's a training camp body and practice squad player. He has a chance at cracking a 53-man roster and could see sparing play time on Sundays.

Though Williams hasn't released a typical "Thank you Tucson" statement, he has gone public with the fact that he's training for the NFL Combine and the subsequent draft. Williams, who spent his first two years with Auburn and one with Florida State before landing in Tucson ahead of the 2022 season, emerged as one of Arizona's trio of extremely talented players in the backfield. Over his two seasons in the desert, Williams posted a 5.1 yard-per-carry average and found paydirt eight times.

Much like his counterpart Wiley, he likely won't be taken until Day 3 simply because of his positional value. However, without the receiving skillset that Wiley brings, it's likely he ends up going undrafted and latching on in training camp. He may survive the final cuts, but it's more likely he ends up on a practice squad or making a name for himself in a supplemental league.

Nofoagatoto'a spent one season with Arizona after transferring in from Indiana prior to the 2023 season. He split time with Bill Norton at nose tackle and was an imposing presence anchoring the defensive line. He's a little shorter than Norton at 6 foot 3, but weighs a few pounds more at 330 pounds. He posted 11 total tackles on the season and a single pass deflected at the line last year.

It's not likely that Nofoagatoto'a will hear his name called until the sixth or seventh rounds at best, given a diminished positional value and a lack of standout stats/measurable production. If he ends up in the NFL, it's most likely he ends up as an undrafted free agent and plays a camp role. It's a good call on his end to also declare for the Global CFL Draft, where he could see much more playing time and a more stable career path.

Wyatt spent the 2023 season with Arizona after spending his freshman year with Illinois in 2018 and playing for Cal Poly in 2021 and 2022. In his only season with the Wildcats, he appeared in six games including the Valero Alamo Bowl. He posted six tackles on the season, all of which were solo. He also notched three pass breakups. The Alamo Bowl was his best showing of the season, where he notched two solo tackles and a pass breakup, accounting for one third of his stats for the season.

Given that he had a hard time cracking the starting roster amid a plethora of quality defensive backs, it's unlikely he hears his name called. He likely won't be taken until the sixth or seventh round, if at all, but he has a larger frame at 6 foot 1 and 190 pounds and could serve well as a training camp and practice squad player. Finding a home in a supplemental league like the UFL of CFL could also be an option for Wyatt.

Manoa had spent 2018-2021 with UCLA before transferring to Arizona for the 2023 season and his final year of eligibility. As the starting defensive tackle next to either Norton or Nofoagatoto'a, he posted a very solid season. He finished with 28 total tackles, eight of them coming solo, a sack, a pass deflection at the line, and a fumble recovery. He tied a season-high three total tackles in the Alamo Bowl, sending him out on a high note.

Manoa, like others on the list, likely won't be a very hot commodity leading up to the draft largely due to diminished positional value. He'll be called on Day 3 if he gets called at all, and coaches at the next level may want him to put a little more weight on his 6 foot 5 frame to be a gap-filler in run defense. He'll most likely find a spot in training camp or on a practice squad.

While Bombata hardly ever cracked the offensive lineup for the Wildcats, he was a fixture on special teams. Over his four years with the Wildcats, he posted three rush attempts for 45 yards. However, over his 45 games played, he recorded eight total tackles on special teams (four solo) and managed to block two punts in 2021.

As is normally the case for special teams players, he'll likely fall out of the draft entirely. It seems that his positional label of "running back" is solely for roster management purposes, and he simply won't play a role in the backfield on Sundays. He may be able to latch onto a team as a gunner, but it doesn't seem likely with his level of production. He may well find himself in another league like the CFL or UFL.

The most unheralded position on the field is undoubtedly that of the long snapper. Nobody knows their names unless they're doing their jobs wrong. Thankfully for Arizona football, MacKellar has basically never called too much attention to himself and has been the Wildcats' starting long snapper (yes, there is a backup) since 2019. He's been a rock at the position and has been the linchpin to some relatively successful kicking and punting units.

Much like the other long snappers in any draft class, it's unlikely MacKellar will hear his name called during the draft. However, the likelihood of him finding a place is high. Long snapper is a position that teams never want to be caught off guard without, so you can very well expect him to see the field for the NFL on Sundays.