Arizona Football managed to keep most of the key components after Jedd Fisch's surprising move to Washington.
One of the biggest fears was that he would manage to rip quarterback Noah Fifita and wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan out of the Wildcats' grasp. Neither the Heisman-contender Fifita or the guaranteed future first-round NFL draft pick in McMillan were swayed, though, and they will return for the 2024 season.
Only two players from the final depth chart of the season are gone: Jacob Cowing was drafted in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft and reserve Kevin Green Jr. hightailed it to Montlake.
2023 Roster:
- Tetairoa McMillan - Returned to Arizona
- Jacob Cowing - Drafted in the 2024 NFL Draft
- Montana Lemonious-Craig - Returned to Arizona
- AJ Jones - Returned to Arizona
- Malachi Riley - Returned to Arizona
- Kevin Green Jr. - Transferred to Washington
2024 Projected roster:
- Tetairoa McMillan - Returned to Arizona
- Montana Lemonious-Craig - Returned to Arizona
- AJ Jones - Returned to Arizona
- Malachi Riley - Returned to Arizona
- Reymello Murphy - Transferred in from Old Dominion
- Brandon Phelps - Incoming freshman
- Jeremiah Patterson - Transferred in from College of San Mateo (JuCo)
With the new crop of wideouts, four stand above the rest as players who will see the most time on the field, but Fifita will have a dearth of receiving options to choose from.
Tetairoa McMillan (Junior) | 6'5" 210lbs.
McMillan isn't just Arizona's best receiver, he's in the conversation for college football's best receiver and the best wideout to ever don an Arizona uniform. The only two pass catchers in all of NCAA football that hold a candle to him are Missouri's Luther Burden and Ohio State's Emeka Egbuka.
McMillan is an alpha do-it-all receiver. He uses his size to bully defenders off the line and torch their press-man coverage. He has the height, long arms, and vertical ability to attack jump-balls and pluck them out of the air. He uses his long strides to fly downfield as a serviceable deep threat, and he can operate in short areas as a catch-and-run threat as well.
McMillan has delivered on every single promise that comes with being a 5-star recruit and then some. There's nothing he can't do at a highly proficient level at the bare minimum. His connection with Fifita dating back to their high school days only adds to their status as one of the deadliest returning duos in all of Division I.
Montana Lemonious-Craig (Graduate) | 6'2" 201 lbs.
Lemonious-Craig joined Arizona ahead of the 2023 season as one of many former Colorado players hitting the door with Deion Sanders taking up the helm in Boulder. His first season in Tucson actually saw a slight downtick in production from his last season with the Buffs, but he's in line for a bigger role in 2024.
Lemonious-Craig also has an arsenal of tools in his toolbelt. Colorado utilized him in all areas of the field: a deep threat, intermediate in-breaking routes, and quick screen passes. With Arizona, he was listed as their starting F-receiver, who plays a role akin to what a tight end may be expected to do.
He's both a willing and capable run blocker who is one of the designated motion men before the snap. He brings the most football experience out of anybody else in the room, and he's very savvy as a result of the sheer volume of football he's played. Expect him to crack 400-plus receiving yards for the first time in his career.
Reymello Murphy (Junior) | 6'0" 185 lbs.
On the surface, a relatively slim receiver from a non-power conference school seems underwhelming. However, Murphy established himself as a weapon at Old Dominion and is poised to step right in where Cowing left off in the slot.
Murphy has one critical factor that Cowing could never achieve no matter how hard he worked: size. Cowing measured in at 5-foot-8 at the 2024 NFL Combine, while Murphy's 6-foot-tall frame allows for a larger catch radius and a decreased likelihood of being swallowed up whole by the defense. He also flashed his downfield speed at Old Dominion.
He played mostly on the boundary for the Monarchs, but Big 12 competition will be stiffer than that of the Sun Belt. Murphy may take some time to adjust to the new role, but he took the transition from JuCo to Old Dominion well and there's nothing to suggest he won't find a footing in yet another new home.
AJ Jones (RS Sophomore) | 6'4" 209 lbs.
Jones hasn't seen much playing time over his first two years in college, but he never fails to generate buzz every time spring practices roll around. After all, he's only a few Popeye's biscuits short of being the same size as McMillan.
The third-year wideout has long been regarded as an above-average athlete. Jones, a former high school quarterback and wide receiver, plays with great body control and showed off impressive speed once he landed at Arizona. This could get him on the field as a deep threat, but it's more likely that he'll be used in other ways.
Jones served as McMillan's backup last season, but Brent Brennan's staff has publicly stated that they plan to use up to six or seven receivers in the rotation. That means he could be used as a second large body opposite McMillan on the perimeter in packages that require larger receivers. Jones' path to being a McMillan replacement after the latter leaves for the NFL starts now.
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