No Arizona Wildcats were selected in the 2017 NFL draft, but a handful will have opportunities to pursue pro careers.
Linebacker Paul Magloire and receiver Trey Griffey were set to join teams as undrafted free agents Saturday night. Magloire tweeted that he is signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Griffey will sign with the Indianapolis Colts.
Additionally, offensive lineman Freddie Tagaloa and defensive lineman Aiulua Fanene will get tryouts with the Cleveland Browns and Green Bay Packers, respectively.
Magloire and Griffey were the only Wildcats considered draftable this year. Both participated in the East-West Shrine Game in January.
Several analysts not affiliated with NFL teams praised Magloire during the pre-draft run-up. Matt Miller of Bleacher Report ranked Magloire 20th among βoff-ballβ linebackers and 180th overall. That would have put him at the back end of the fifth round.
Magloire, whoβs originally from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, will be returning to the state in which he was born. If he makes it to training camp, Magloire will be an ideal subject for HBOβs βHard Knocksβ series, which features the Buccaneers this year.
Magloire is the father of an 11-month-old boy, and his football journey has included stops at a prep school in upstate New York, Appalachian State, Arizona Western College and the UA. Magloire played quarterback, running back and safety before becoming a linebacker for the Wildcats.
The Seattle Mariners selected Griffey in the 24th round of the 2016 MLB draft, an homage to his father, Ken Griffey Jr., who entered baseballβs Hall of Fame last year. Trey has said he plans to pursue football until itβs no longer a viable option.
This yearβs NFL draft marked the second in the past three in which no Arizona players were picked. Safety Will Parks (sixth round) and linebacker Scooby Wright (seventh) were the UAβs representatives in the 2016 draft.
Only one player from the two Division I schools in Arizona got picked this year: Arizona State kicker Zane Gonzalez, whom the Browns selected in the seventh round.
Arizona and Oregon were the only Pac-12 schools to not have any players selected. Utah had the most with eight, including four offensive linemen.
