One of Tucsonβs proud sons, Bijan Robinson, took his talents from Austin (University of Texas) to Atlanta (the NFLβs Falcons) this offseason; but that doesnβt mean thereβs a shortage of Tucsonans playing at the FBS level this upcoming college football season.
Hereβs a rundown of Old Pueblo products playing at the FBS level this season:
Jovoni Borbon, SMU
From: Sierra Vista Buena High School
Position: Long snapper
Year: Sophomore
Rundown: The 5-10, 213-pound quarterback converted long snapper redshirted last season. Borbon is Sierra Vista Buenaβs all-time passing yards leader (5,666); he threw 67 touchdowns over his four-year career.
Former Marana High QB Trenton Bourguet lets it fly during ASUβs loss to UA in Tucson last year.
Trenton Bourguet, Arizona St.
From: Marana High School
Position: Quarterback
Year: Redshirt junior
Rundown: The all-time Marana passing yards leader took over for Florida transfer Emory Jones at quarterback midway through the season, then became a mainstay. In the Territorial Cup finale in 2022, Bourguet became the first Tucson native to start at quarterback for either team in the in-state rivalry. Bourguet passed for 376 yards and three touchdowns against the hometown Arizona Wildcats, but ASU lost 38-35. Bourguet recently lost a tight battle for the starting quarterback job at ASU, with true freshman Jaden Rashada earning the spot.
Coben Bourguet, Arizona State
From: Salpointe Catholic High School
Position: Wide receiver
Year: Redshirt freshman
Rundown: The younger brother of Trenton Bourguet enters his third season as a walk-on wide receiver for the Sun Devils and competes with ASUβs scout team.
Treyson Bourguet, W. Michigan
From: Salpointe Catholic High School
Position: Quarterback
Year: Redshirt freshman
Rundown: Since Bourguet played in four games as a true freshman, he preserved his redshirt season. In those four contests, Bourguet completed 54 of 109 passes for 601 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Bourguetβs final game in his first college football season was the all-directional-Michigan matchup, with Western Michigan beating Central Michigan 12-10 in blizzard-like conditions. Bourguet is competing with Jack Salopek, Mareyohn Hrabowskiand and Old Dominion graduate transfer Hayden Wolff for the starting quarterback job this season.
Tanque Verde senior offensive tackle Jack Endean signed with Oklahoma State.
Jack Endean, Oklahoma State
From: Tanque Verde High School
Position: Offensive tackle
Year: Freshman
Rundown: The 6-6, 297-pound freshman signed with the Cowboys after playing his high school career at Tanque Verde under former Arizona Wildcat Jay Dobyns, after spending his underclassmen years at Salpointe Catholic. Endeanβs offensive line coach Charlie Dickey was a Larry Smith-era offensive lineman who later coached offensive line under Dick Tomey at the UA.
Bruno Fina, UCLA
From: Salpointe Catholic High School
Position: Offensive lineman
Year: Redshirt junior
Rundown: The son of ex-Wildcat and NFL offensive lineman John Fina played in four games in 2022 for the Bruins. Fina was a reserve offensive lineman and special teams contributor in his third season at UCLA.
CJ Flores, Arizona
From: Cienega High School
Position: Defensive back
Year: Freshman
Rundown: The 5-11, 200-pound Flores joins the Wildcats as a walk-on after previously starting two seasons at Cienega.
Dailan Goodman, New Mexico State
From:Β Salpointe Catholic High School
Position:Β Running back
Year:Β Freshman
Rundown:Β The 6-foot, 195-pound was a mainstay the previous two seasons in Salpointe Catholic's offense, rushing for 927 yards and 11 touchdowns.Β
Josh Hart, Arizona State
From: Salpointe Catholic High School
Position: Wide receiver
Year: Redshirt junior
Rundown: The fifth-year redshirt junior and walk-on did not log any stats last season for the Sun Devils.
Receiver Jamarye Joiner takes a quick break from filling water balloons to dance to the music on the sidelines at Arizonaβs 2022 spring game at Arizona Stadium.
Jamarye Joiner, Jacksonville St.
From: Cienega High School
Position: Wide receiver
Year: Redshirt senior
Rundown: Joiner had an up-and-down career for the hometown Wildcats. The former quarterback recruit switched to wide receiver and led the Wildcats in receiving in 2019, but foot surgeries sidelined Joiner for a significant amount of time. Then, additions of receivers such as Jacob Cowing, Tetairoa McMillan and others dipped into Joinerβs playing time. Joiner transferred to Jacksonville State. The Gamecocks, playing in their first season as an FBS program, are coached by former UA head coach Rich Rodriguez and offensive coordinator Rod Smith.
Washington center Matteo Mele (78), left (a product of Salpointe Catholic High School in Tucson), and offensive lineman Luke Wattenberg (76) double team Arizona defensive lineman Myles Tapusoa (99) at Arizona Stadium on Oct. 12, 2019.
Matteo Mele, Washington
From: Salpointe Catholic High School
Position: Center
Year: Senior
Rundown: The sixth-year senior, who got his first career start at Arizona in 2019, spent the last three seasons as a backup center and special teams contributor. The 6-6, 298-pounder is expected to start at center for a Washington offense that is among the top units in the nation, with quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and wide receivers Rome Odunze and Jalen McMillan.
Arizona offensive lineman Jordan Morgan takes the field during the first half of Arizonaβs 43-20 win over Colorado last year.
Jordan Morgan, Arizona
From: Marana High School
Position: Left tackle
Year: Senior
Rundown: The former Marana Tiger, who is recovering from a season-ending knee injury he suffered in November, is rated by Pro Football Focus as the top offensive tackle in the Pac-12 and third nationally. Last season PFF graded Morgan with a 82.8 rating, the highest on the UAβs offensive line. Morgan gradually ramped up his activity in preseason training camp and appears on track to start the season opener on Sept. 2 against Northern Arizona. Morgan is expected to become one of Arizonaβs top NFL Draft prospects after this season.
Tyler Mustain, Arizona
From: Pusch Ridge Christian
Position: Linebacker
Year: Freshman
Rundown: The Class 3A South Defensive Player of the Year is a walk-on at Arizona after logging 349 tackles, 33 stops for loss and 17 sacks during his high school career.
Salpointe Catholic High School product Lathan Ransom starts at safety for Ohio State.
Lathan Ransom, Ohio State
From: Salpointe Catholic High School
Position: Safety
Year: Senior
Rundown: Ransom was third on Ohio Stateβs roster in tackles (74) last season and was named a Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist. Ransom will start at strong safety for the third-ranked Buckeyes this season and will share the defensive secondary with former Scottsdale Saguaro cornerback Denzel Burke.
Running back Stevie Rocker Jr., takes a handoff while working with the quarterbacks at the University of Arizona spring practice session in Tucson in March.
Stevie Rocker, Arizona
From: Canyon del Oro High School
Position: Running back
Year: Redshirt sophomore
Rundown: Michael Wiley, Jonah Coleman, DJ Williams and Rayshon Luke returning to share the backfield didnβt deter Rocker from transferring from the UA. His lone start at Arizona was in the Wildcatsβ win over Cal in 2021 to snap the programβs 20-game losing streak.
Cruz Rushing, Arizona
From: Salpointe Catholic High School
Position: Safety
Year: Freshman
Rundown: The former Florida Gator transferred to the UA as a scholarship safety. Rushingβs younger brother, Salpointe Catholic star Elijah Rushing, is the highest-rated commit in Arizona history during the modern recruiting world.
Jackson Sumlin, Fla. Atlantic
From: Salpointe Catholic High School
Position: Tight end
Year: Junior
Rundown: The son of former Arizona head coach Kevin Sumlin, who is now the tight ends coach at Maryland, transferred to Florida Atlantic after playing three seasons at Oklahoma.
Kingsley Ugwu, Fresno State
From: Sahuaro High School
Position: Offensive lineman
Year: Senior
Rundown: The 6-5, 295-pound former Hutchinson Community College (Kansas) standout and NJCAA champion transferred to Fresno State following one year at Kansas State.
Connor Witthoft, New Mexico
From: Salpointe Catholic High School
Position: Tight end
Year: Redshirt junior
Rundown: Witthoft started four games at tight end for the Lobos and had three catches for 23 yards in 2022.
