Arizona enters the year as a preseason top-25 team because of the talent on their roster. Winning in the Big 12 won’t be easy, but as they proved last season in the Pac-12, they have more than enough talent to compete for a title.
One could argue that the Wildcats have the best quarterback-wide receiver duo in the country with Tetairoa McMillan and Noah Fifita, but there are other top players on this roster who should also make an impression.
These players aren’t going unnoticed either, as ESPN has listed four Wildcats in its preseason top 100 college football rankings.
McMillan finished highest at No. 13, a well-deserved honor for perhaps the best wide receiver in college football.
“McMillan is likely to be selected in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft and is a strong candidate for the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s best receiver after his incredible sophomore season. With Jacob Cowing (90 catches in 2023) leaving for the NFL, T-Mac will become an even more important part of Arizona’s offense and is expected to face more double coverage than in the past.”
Fifita is ranked 51st, which may be a little low, but he will look to continue to show that he is as good as he was last year and if he can do that, he should be in a good position to get some draft work in due course.
As for the other two Arizona players selected, offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea made his debut on the list and came in at No. 85. He allowed just two sacks in 889 snaps in 2023, which played a big part in the offense’s success.
Tacario Davis, Arizona’s junior cornerback, is ranked 94th.
Davis is considered a potential first-round pick in 2025. He had an impressive season last season, finishing with 15 pass breakups, 16 pass deflections and one interception.
McMillan, Fifita, Davis and Savaiinaea will carry a lot of the load on their shoulders this year. They have proven throughout their college careers that they are more than ready to handle that pressure, which is why they deserve this recognition.
For the players and the team, the preseason accolades are great, but they know better than anyone that what matters is where they stand at the end of the year.
Hopefully they will be a force in Arizona, have another great season and become a top 10 team in the country.
