Arizona football: A position-by-position look at Wildcats' roster heading into spring drills

Quarterbacks

Who’s here: Khalil Tate (6-2, 215, JR), K’Hari Lane (6-1, 245, RS FR), Rhett Rodriguez (6-0, 186, SO), Andrew Tovar (6-2, 169, RS FR)

Who’s coming: Kevin Doyle (6-3, 210, FR), Jamarye Joiner (6-2, 200, FR)

The big question: Who will emerge as Tate’s primary backup?

If Tate remains healthy and continues to improve, it’s reasonable to assume Arizona will be competitive in every game it plays this season. If he gets hurt and misses any significant chunk of time, well, things will get interesting.

With Brandon Dawkins announcing that he will transfer after graduating in May — and the possibility of Rodriguez following suit — the Wildcats face the prospect of not having a single QB on the roster with college experience except Tate. It’s entirely possible that Doyle or Joiner will leapfrog Lane (and/or Rodriguez) in training camp. Ideally, Lane will be the one making the leap this spring, earning the trust of the coaching staff and establishing himself as the clear No. 2. Tate probably won’t run quite as much under Sumlin and new offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone. But the dynamic junior still will run, and he’s never been one to shy away from contact.

Whether it comes into focus by the end of spring or the end of training camp, Arizona needs to have a backup plan.

Running backs

Who's here: J.J. Taylor (5-6, 180, RS SO), Nathan Tilford (6-2, 206, SO), Gary Brightwell (6-1, 196, SO), Branden Leon (5-8, 201, RS JR)

Who’s coming: Darrius Smith (5-9, 170, FR)

The big question: Are Tilford and Brightwell ready to assume larger roles?

Tilford appeared in 10 games, mostly on special teams, and carried the ball 13 times for 122 yards and two touchdowns. One of those rushes went for 65 yards.

Brightwell appeared in all 13 games but never touched the ball. He moved from running back to slot receiver in training camp, a move that seemed to present a clearer path to playing time. But pass-catching opportunities never materialized.

It’s not entirely clear what the new staff has in store for Brightwell; Sumlin and his crew probably aren’t sure themselves. That’s what spring practice is for.

Wide receivers

Who's here: Shun Brown (5-10, 177, SR), Tony Ellison (5-11, 188, RS SR), Shawn Poindexter (6-5, 212, RS SR), Cedric Peterson (5-11, 188, RS JR), Devaughn Cooper (5-10, 175, RS SO), Brian Casteel (6-0, 214, SO), Keyshawn Johnson Jr. (6-1, 195, RS FR), Drew Dixon (6-3, 206, RS FR)

Who’s coming: Tre Adams (6-3, 190, FR), Jailen Bailey (5-11, 180, FR), Thomas Marcus (6-3, 180, FR)

The big question: Will the new regime favor bigger receivers, and if so, how will that manifest itself in 2018?

One of the critiques of Rich Rodriguez was that he and his staff targeted too many pint-sized slot receivers. While that argument may have a kernel of truth to it — Rodriguez’s recruiting shortcomings have been well-documented — it’s not entirely accurate. Nor is it fair to say bigger is necessarily better.

In 2014 and ’15, Arizona’s leading receiver was Cayleb Jones. He was listed at 6-3, 215. In 2016, the Wildcats’ third-leading receiver was Trey Griffey. He was 6-3, 209.

It is true that Arizona’s best and most productive receivers last season were sub-6-footers Brown and Ellison. And that Nate Phillips (5-7, 186) and Samajie Grant (5-9, 180) eclipsed Griffey’s production. It’s also true that Texas A&M’s leading receiver over the last three years was Christian Kirk, whose official height at the NFL scouting combine was 5-10 3/8.

Tight ends

Who's here: Bryce Wolma (6-3, 229, SO), Jamie Nunley (6-5, 230, RS SO)

Who’s coming: Jake Peters (6-4, 240, FR), Zach Williams (6-3, 230, FR)

The big question: How will the new coaching staff utilize tight ends in the passing game?

Last season signaled a breakthrough for Arizona. Wolma caught 28 passes, which ranked third on the team. Nunley caught six. Trevor Wood and Jack Banda accounted for three more.

All told, the tight ends’ 37 receptions represented a 950 percent increase over the average of the previous five seasons.

A look at tight end usage under Sumlin’s Texas A&M teams and Mazzone’s time at Texas A&M, UCLA and Arizona State showed minimal production by traditional tight ends. No traditional tight end on any of those 12 teams caught more than seven passes in a season.

However, there were tight end-like players on those teams who played big roles as receivers. Ricky Seals-Jones — technically a wide receiver at A&M — caught 123 passes for 1,442 yards and 10 touchdowns over four seasons under Sumlin. Seals-Jones was listed at 6-5, 240 pounds. He’s now a tight end with the Arizona Cardinals.

Thomas Duarte — technically a wide receiver at UCLA — caught 97 passes for 1,626 yards and 17 touchdowns over three seasons under Mazzone. Duarte was listed at 6-2, 225. He’s now a tight end for the Miami Dolphins. You have to go back to 2012 to find a “traditional” tight end who put up big numbers under Sumlin or Mazzone. That would be Joseph Fauria, who caught 46 balls for 637 yards and 12 touchdowns in Mazzone’s first year with the Bruins.

Offensive lineman

Who's here: OT Layth Friekh (6-5, 302, RS SR), C Nathan Eldridge (6-3, 297, RS JR), OG Michael Eletise (6-3, 318, RS SO), OT Tshiyombu Lukusa (6-5, 330, RS SO), OT Cody Creason (6-4, 294, RS JR), OT Bryson Cain (6-4, 291, RS SO), OG Alex Kosinski (6-4, 299, RS JR), OT Maisen Knight (6-5, 279, RS SO), OT Edgar Burrola (6-5, 293, RS FR)

Who’s coming: OG-C Steven Bailey (6-2, 290, JR), OT Donovan Laie (6-6, 290, FR), OT-OG David Watson (6-5, 290, FR)

The big question: Despite some key losses, could the offensive line be even better this season than it was last year?

It’s a tall task, to be sure. The line was the Wildcats’ most consistent unit in 2017, helping Arizona average 309.3 rushing yards per game — third most in the country. The Wildcats also surrendered only 19 sacks, tying for 25th nationally in sacks allowed per game (1.46).

Last year’s unit featured three heady, veteran starters in Jacob Alsadek, Gerhard de Beer and Christian Boettcher, none of whom are around anymore.

Given all that — and a worrisome lack of experienced depth — how could this year’s line possibly surpass last year’s?

For starters, Eldridge will be entering his third year as a starter. He was among the most improved Wildcats a year ago, and he’ll be a strong candidate for all-conference honors.

Second, Eletise should be ready to ascend to the starting lineup. A four-star recruit in the class of 2016, Eletise redshirted that year and appeared in 10 games as a reserve last season. He’s among the strongest players on the team and represents a talent upgrade over Boettcher at left guard. Whether Eletise can learn to play with the same smarts and technique remains to be seen.

Lukusa earned raves from coaches and teammates for his work on the scout team. The transfer from Michigan State — who played for the Spartans as a true freshman — will be eligible in 2018.

Interior defensive lineman

Who's here: Dereck Boles (6-2, 296, RS SR) Finton Connolly (6-5, 275, RS JR), Sione Taufahema (6-1, 330, RS JR), Kurtis Brown (6-1, 285, SO), PJ Johnson (6-5, 315, RS JR), Mykee Irving (6-4, 320, FR)

Who’s coming: N/A

The big question: The Wildcats will be bigger up front in 2018, but will they be better?

Johnson and Irving are part of “who’s here” because they already have enrolled and will participate in spring practice. Those two are as good a place to start as any. Both are listed at over 300 pounds. Both satisfy Arizona’s need for bigger bodies to occupy blockers and hold up against the run.

How much they’ll be able to contribute remains to be seen. Taufahema came to Arizona under similar circumstances and ended up redshirting. With Taufahema back in the mix, plus Johnson and Irving, Arizona is adding three 300-plus-pounders to a unit that otherwise wouldn’t have any. It sounds great on paper. But it’s impossible to know if they’ll be difference-makers until the pads come on in spring.

Edge rushers

Who's here: Kylan Wilborn (6-2, 245, SO), Justin Belknap (6-3, 259, RS JR), Jalen Harris (6-4, 212, RS FR), My-King Johnson (6-4, 220, RS FR), JB Brown (6-3, 244, SO), Jose Ramirez (6-2, 240, RS FR), Jalen Cochran (6-3, 249, RS SO), Francisco Nelson III (6-2, 241, RS SO)

Who’s coming: Adam Plant (6-5, 240, FR), Nahe Sulunga (6-3, 255, FR)

The big question: Which young player is ready to step up and become the complementary edge rusher Arizona desperately needs?

The UA unearthed a gem last year in Wilborn. For this defense to take the next step, Wilborn will need a sidekick — or a collection of them — who matches or exceeds his production. Belknap started opposite Wilborn for most of the season and finished with 2.5 sacks and one fumble recovery. Is he capable of more in his redshirt-junior season? Maybe. But there are a handful of younger players who might have higher upsides.

Linebackers

Who's here: Colin Schooler (6-0, 226, SO), Tony Fields II (6-1, 225, SO), Anthony Pandy (6-0, 225, SO), Jacob Colacion (6-1, 218, RS SO), Carrington Vaughn (5-11, 220, RS SO)

Who’s coming: Issaiah Johnson (6-2, 210, FR)

The big question: If Schooler or Fields get hurt, are the Wildcats in trouble?

The situation at linebacker is similar to the one at quarterback: You feel really good about the starter(s) but aren’t sure about the backups. The top backups are fellow sophomores Pandy and Colacion, who’s technically a redshirt sophomore. Both played last season, mostly on special teams, and Pandy, in particular, flashed big-time potential.

Pandy is an explosive, tough, physical player who fell behind the learning curve when he suffered a sprained ankle in training camp. Too good to redshirt, Pandy carved out a role on kick coverage and in the dime package as a pass rusher. Colacion has the smarts to play both the “Will” and “Mike.”

Cornerbacks

Who's here: Jace Whittaker (5-11, 182, SR), Lorenzo Burns (5-10, 173, RS SO), Tony Wallace (5-10, 184, SO), Malik Hausman (6-0, 170, RS FR), Malcolm Holland (5-11, 182, RS JR), Antonio Parks (5-10, 188, RS SO), Sammy Morrison (5-10, 177, RS JR)

Who’s coming: McKenzie Barnes (6-2, 170, FR), Jhevon Hill (6-3, 185, FR)

The big question: Does Arizona finally have the depth to withstand an injury and create a rotation at cornerback? Whittaker — who wore a boot late in the season to protect a sore left foot — and Burns are heavy favorites to retain their starting jobs. They were among Arizona’s most productive defenders last season, combining for 20 pass breakups and eight interceptions.

But the players behind them should be better positioned for more substantial roles.

Safeties

Who's here: Scottie Young Jr. (5-11, 195, SO), Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (6-2, 205, SR), Jarrius Wallace (6-1, 180, RS SO), Tristan Cooper (6-1, 188, JR), Isaiah Hayes (6-0, 191, RS SO), Troy Young (6-0, 205, SO), Chacho Ulloa (5-11, 192, JR), Xavier Bell (6-2, 192, RS FR), Rhedi Short (6-0, 184, RS FR), Anthony Mariscal (5-10, 197, RS JR)

Who’s coming: Dayven Coleman (6-2, 210, FR), Christian Young (6-2, 195, FR)

The big question: Who will replace Dane Cruikshank, and will that be the only change among the safeties?

Safety is easily Arizona’s deepest position. The Wildcats have started three of them under defensive coordinator Marcel Yates, and they list 10 scholarship safeties on their online roster. Add two incoming freshmen, and you’re looking at a position that can go four-deep. As such, Arizona has a lot of options.

Cruikshank’s logical successor is Cooper, who is a vicious hitter but isn’t as adept in coverage. Another possibility is Troy Young, a special-teams regular as a freshman. Scottie Young ended up starting at free safety. He recorded 53 tackles in 10 games and made his first career interception in the Foster Farms Bowl.

Flannigan-Fowles might belong in that sure-thing category, but that might not be the case. Although he finished with 81 tackles, tied for third most on the team, Flannigan-Fowles struggled at times after a strong start. He often had trouble locating the ball, getting himself twisted and turned out of position. He was involved in five takeaways (three interceptions, two fumble recoveries), but none in the final seven games.

Additionally, with almost an entirely new coaching staff, most positions are going to be up for grabs — or at least subject to thorough evaluation.

Special teams

Who’s here: K Lucas Havrisik (6-2, 173, SO), K Josh Pollack (5-10, 184, RS SR), RS Shun Brown (5-10, 177, SR), LS Nick Reinhardt (6-1, 240, RS JR)

Who’s coming: P Dylan Klumph (6-3, 230, RS SR)

The big question: Will new additions help transform Arizona’s special teams from a liability to a strength?

First, let’s clear up a misconception: The Wildcats’ special teams were not bad last year. Their punting — just one component of special teams — was not up to par, and it was costly.

Heading into 2018, Arizona appears to have fixed that problem. Klumph, who had a fine run at Cal, is coming to Tucson as a grad transfer. Reinhardt should be back after missing most of last season because of a knee injury. And with the addition of a 10th assistant coach, the Wildcats now have a full-time special-teams coordinator in Jeremy Springer.

What role Pollack will have is unclear. He has proved to be a reliable placekicker over the past two seasons, making 20 of 29 field-goal attempts and 101 of 103 PATs. But Pollack ceded kickoff duties last season to the powerful Havrisik, who also attempted four field goals. He made three of them — all from 40-plus yards (including a 57-yarder).

Havrisik was a major asset as the kickoff specialist, booting 63 of 93 for touchbacks.

Brown had two punt returns for touchdowns last season — and should have had three if not for a phantom flag against Arizona State. Besides his standout return skills, Brown benefited from improved blocking. That was largely a product of upgraded talent via the deep 2017 signing class.

Springer doesn’t have a ton of coaching experience, but Sumlin obviously saw enough in him to entrust him with the special-teams units. He then went out and got a punter. He’s off to a good start.