Arizona's NFL numbers shrinking
Arizona opens the NFL season with a mere eight ex-Wildcats on NFL rosters; the number might actually be seven if Chicago running back Ka’Deem Carey is not among the Bears active roster for Sunday’s opener.
Did you realize that even a mid-level Mountain West Conference team like Utah State has eight players on NFL opening day rosters?
USC has 33. Cal 26. The leader is LSU with 38.
This can be traced to the hiring of John Mackovic in 2001; even though Mike Stoops produced Rob Gronkowski and Nick Foles, the UA hasn’t been able to re-
establish its ability to recruit potential NFL players of the 1980s and 1990s.
In 1985, Arizona had 18 active NFL players.
In 1995, Arizona had 17 active NFL players.
Now the UA eight are Gronkowski, Foles, Carey, Nick Folk, Robert Golden, Trevin Wade, Earl Mitchell and Brooks Reed.
Makes you wonder how the Wildcats went 26-14 in RichRod’s first three seasons in a league full of NFL prospects.
