The players Arizona Football couldn't quite land on National Signing Day
By Mason Duhon
Fisch poaches three key defenders
Formerly: Arizona. Isaiah Ward. IW. KAT. . Ontario, CA. Isaiah Ward. player. 521.
. . LB. AW. Formerly: Arizona, Washington. Ontario, CA. Anthony Ward. 521. Anthony Ward. player
The Ward brothers were always a package deal; the whole reason Anthony Ward left Washington for Arizona in the first place was because Isaiah Ward signed with the Wildcats. However, with Fisch and defensive line coach Jason Kaufusi both headed to Seattle, the Ward brothers won't be returning to Arizona and Anthony Ward is now on his second stint as a Husky.
The fact of the matter is that Anthony Ward wasn't a full-time starter as a linebacker. He was most active on special teams, with the defining moment of his career being a blocked punt that he also returned for a touchdown against Utah in 2023. Anthony Ward was the first of the two brothers to be announced by Washington, likely as a teaser for what was to come.
Isaiah Ward, though, is a far greater loss. He was slated to start at the KAT position on defense for the second consecutive year and is one of the larger reasons straits were so dire along the defensive line. He posted four sacks, forced two fumbled, and defended a pass in 2023 and was in line for a breakout season in his third year. However, Fisch managed to reel him in and he will be suiting up in purple and gold next season.
Russell "Deuce" Davis II. player. 521. DD. . Chandler, AZ. . Russell "Deuce" Davis II. Formerly: Arizona. DL
Davis spent two seasons with Arizona as a depth player at the KAT position on the defensive line. With the Ward brothers entering the transfer portal, he had an opportunity to step into the starting role and build on a promising 2023 season. The Arizona native appeared in eight games and managed an impressive stat line: 17 total tackles with 14 of them solo and 3.5 sacks.
However, he will also be following Fisch and Kaufusi to Seattle to bring his talents to the Big Ten. Davis' departure, paired with the Ward brothers and a trio of defensive linemen headed to the NFL draft, left quite a frightening lack of depth on the defensive line. However, Arizona addressed the defensive line in the transfer portal and there are developmental prospects that could step into rotational roles as depth pieces.
ALSO. tracker. Tracking every Arizona Football pickup on National Signing Day. dark
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