How Tucson natives, Arizona Wildcats are performing in the NFL

For Tucson football fans, the Arizona Wildcats’ NFL footprint remains broad in the 2026 season, with 18 former Wildcats and Tucson area players appearing on rosters or contributing to their teams. The group includes established stars, rookies moving into major roles, special teams contributors and several players working to earn more opportunities. Their progress gives local fans a reason to follow games well beyond the Cardinals, especially with the NFL entering the second half of its regular season and Week 10 approaching.

One of the most productive former Wildcats is Bijan Robinson, the Salpointe Catholic graduate who played at the school from 2016 to 2019. Robinson signed a three year extension with Atlanta during the offseason worth up to $75 million, including $51 million guaranteed. His Salpointe jersey, number 5, has been retired. On the field, he is on pace for another All Pro caliber season. He leads the NFL with 880 rushing yards, ranks third with 169 carries and has five rushing touchdowns, along with 31 receptions for 250 yards and another score.

Tucson’s more recent college stars are also making an impact. Tetairoa McMillan, who played for Arizona from 2022 through 2024, has 46 catches for 625 yards and three touchdowns. His best performance came in a 32 to 26 victory over Detroit, when he caught 14 passes for 192 yards and two touchdowns. Jordan Morgan, a Marana High School graduate who played for the Wildcats from 2019 through 2023, has started every game at left tackle for Green Bay. The third year player has taken 584 offensive snaps for the 6 and 3 Packers, while allowing five sacks and 22 quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.

Running back Michael Carter Coleman, who played two seasons at Arizona from 2022 through 2023 before finishing his college career at Washington, has become a useful piece for Denver. He has 47 carries for 191 yards and three touchdowns through four games. In a road victory over Carolina on Sunday, Coleman received a career high 17 carries for 57 yards and a touchdown, adding four catches for 31 yards. Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who spent one season with Arizona in 2024 and played only one game for the Wildcats, is in his second season with Washington. He has 67 carries for 239 yards and two touchdowns, although he is currently on injured reserve and is expected to return against Cincinnati next week. Last season, he led former Wildcats in rushing with 875 yards and eight touchdowns, the strongest such performance since Paul Robinson in 1968.

The Wildcats also have several defensive backs scattered across the league. Treydan Stukes, a second round rookie who played at Arizona from 2020 through 2025, is the highest drafted Arizona defensive back since Antoine Cason in 2008. He intercepted Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in his official NFL debut, then picked off San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy on Sunday. Stukes has 43 tackles and two interceptions as a starting safety for Las Vegas. Another rookie, Dalton Smith, also played six seasons for Arizona and has 16 tackles and two interceptions for the Chargers. His picks came during Los Angeles’ 24 to 16 loss to Buffalo. The Chargers remain the NFL’s only winless team entering Week 10.

Christian Roland-Wallace, an Arizona player from 2019 through 2022, has recorded 20 tackles, two pass breakups and two stuffs in his third season with Kansas City. Ephesians Prysock, who played for the Wildcats from 2022 through 2023, has one tackle and one pass deflection with San Francisco. Jedd Fisch? No, the source identifies another former Wildcat, R.J. Ransom, who played at Salpointe from 2017 through 2019. Ransom has become an important special teams player for Carolina, appearing on 151 special teams snaps, while adding 11 tackles and two pass breakups in seven games at free safety.

Several former Arizona players are contributing in less visible but still important roles. Dorian Thompson-Robinson? The source instead lists a defensive player whose name is not included in the provided text, a fourth round rookie and Arizona’s leading tackler over the previous two seasons. He has appeared in one regular season game for Las Vegas. Roy Lopez, who played at Arizona in 2020 and also played at New Mexico State, has 10 tackles and a sack for the hometown Cardinals. Lopez’s Tucson ties run through his father, Roy Lopez Sr., who coached at Sunnyside High School from 2016 through 2018.

Special teams offers another strong Tucson connection. Nick Folk, who played at Arizona from 2003 through 2006, is 42 years old and in his 19th NFL season. He is the only former Wildcat from the Mike Stoops era still playing in the league. Folk has made 13 of 18 field goal attempts, including a 51 yarder in the season opener against Pittsburgh. His career totals include 444 field goals on 525 attempts, an 84.6 percent rate, and 550 successful extra points on 568 attempts. Arizona kicker Tyler Loop, who played for the Wildcats from 2020 through 2024, is 13 for 17 on field goals and perfect on 18 extra points. He also won Baltimore’s game against Dallas in Rio de Janeiro with a 56 yard field goal, a particularly memorable moment because Dallas was the team he grew up supporting.

The remaining group includes several players with room to grow as the season continues. Jacob Cowing, who played at Arizona from 2022 through 2023, has five receptions for 52 yards and five kick returns for 125 yards with San Francisco, where he is a backup behind Demarcus Robinson. The 7 and 1 49ers also have former Wildcat Ephesians Prysock on their roster. Tampa Bay’s Garnes, who played one season at Arizona in 2025, made the team as an undrafted player after a 47 yard preseason pick six and has appeared in three games. Arizona alumnus Jonah Savaiinaea, who played from 2022 through 2024, moved from left guard to right guard after a difficult rookie season. He has played 431 snaps and allowed one sack and 11 pressures. The group also includes a former Arizona player who spent three seasons in Tucson from 2022 through 2024 before transferring to Washington for his final season, and Bengals rookie Davis, who has 15 tackles and a pass deflection after earning a starting role. Together, their progress keeps Tucson connected to NFL storylines across the country for the rest of the season.