Arizona Wildcats produce four NFL Draft picks, the most in 17 years

Arizona had its busiest NFL Draft in 17 years.

The Wildcats produced four NFL Draft picks: wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (Carolina Panthers), offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea (Miami Dolphins), kicker Tyler Loop (Baltimore Ravens) and running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt (Washington Commanders).

It’s the most NFL Draft picks from the UA since 2008, a class that had cornerback Antoine Cason, linebacker Spencer Larsen, defensive back Wilrey Fontenot and defensive tackle Lionel Dotson.

In the last two years, Arizona has produced two first-round picks, a second-round pick, a fourth-round pick, two sixth-round picks and a seventh-round pick — seven total.

The 2025 draft was a banner year for Arizona for a variety of reasons. McMillan, who was the first receiver taken at eighth overall on Thursday, is the highest-selected offensive player from Arizona in NFL Draft history. McMillan is also the highest-drafted receiver in Carolina history.

With Savaiinaea landing early in the second round, it’s the first time Arizona has produced multiple picks in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft since running back Trung Canidate (St. Louis Rams) and wide receiver Dennis Northcutt (Cleveland Browns) in 2000.

Loop was drafted at No. 186 overall in the sixth round on Saturday. Loop is the first Arizona kicker drafted since Nick Folk in 2007.

In five years at Arizona, the Lucas, Texas native recorded an 83.8% field-goal rate, which currently ranks 39th in college football history; it’s also the best mark in Arizona history. Loop’s 327 points are third in school history behind Max Zendejas (360) and Art Luppino (337).

Loop was 6 for 9 in field goals of at least 50 yards in 2024, which included a program-record 62-yard field goal. Loop owns the UA single-game school record with five field goals against Texas Tech. In his last two seasons at Arizona, Loop had 126 touchbacks in 140 attempts (90%).

Loop was the second kicker drafted this year after Miami’s Andres Borregales, who was selected by the New England Patriots at No. 182 overall in the sixth round.

After he was drafted, Loop told reporters he met with Ravens coaches and scouts at the NFL Scouting Combine and “got to chat a bunch” with special teams coach Randy Brown. Loop had a hunch the Ravens would draft him after Borregales was drafted by the Patriots.

“’Alright, here we go, I’m going to be a Baltimore Raven and be with Randy and (head coach John Harbaugh) and be a Raven,’” Loop said. “I’m pumped.”

Loop was among the top kickers at the NFL Scouting Combine. In the kicking competition, Loop made 13 of 14 field goals (93.3%) and tied Florida State’s Ryan Fitzgerald for the second-best field-goal rate; both made 60-yard field goals to end the competition.

The Ravens drafted Loop after five-time All-Pro kicker Justin Tucker was recently accused of sexual misconduct by 16 massage therapists. While Tucker has publicly denied the allegations and called the accusations “unequivocally false,” the NFL is currently investigating the situation and the Ravens have yet to make a decision regarding Tucker’s future.

The addition of Loop is a sign that Baltimore is prepared to move on from Tucker.

Croskey-Merritt was the final Wildcat selected on Saturday with the 245th overall pick in the seventh round.

Croskey-Merritt is the first Arizona running back drafted since Gary Brightwell in 2021. Croskey-Merritt was the 25th running back selected in the NFL Draft.

In his only game with the Wildcats this season, Croskey-Merritt rushed for 106 yards and a touchdown against New Mexico in the season opener, then missed the remainder of the season for eligibility concerns.

Despite only playing in one game at Arizona, Croskey-Merritt improved his stock after he rushed for 97 yards and two touchdowns in the East-West Shrine Bowl at AT&T Stadium in January; he was named Offensive MVP of the showcase.

At Big 12 Pro Day last month, Croskey-Merritt had the fastest 40-yard dash time (4.45 seconds) and highest vertical (41.5 inches) for running backs. Croskey-Merritt also had the second-most bench press reps (17) and third-best broad jump (10 feet, 4 inches) for running backs.

Croskey-Merritt joins a Washington offense quarterbacked by NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels. The Commanders went 12-5 in 2024 and lost to the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC championship. Croskey-Merritt will be added to a running backs room headlined by Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler.

Former Arizona running back Michael Wiley played his rookie season on the Commanders’ practice squad after going undrafted last year.

Dolphins ‘very convicted on’ Savaiinaea

In order to land Savaiinaea, who watched the draft from his family’s home in Honolulu, the Dolphins traded up to the 37th overall pick on Friday and dealt the 48th, 98th and 135th picks to the Las Vegas Raiders. Ironically, Raiders offensive line coach Brennan Carroll recruited Savaiinaea to Arizona.

Even though Miami was expected to bolster its depth at cornerback, with star Jalen Ramsey rumored to be traded this offseason, Savaiinaea “was a player that we had targeted” during the pre-draft process, said Dolphins general manager Chris Grier.“We spent a lot of time with him,” Grier said. “We had him in on a (Top 30) visit and spent a lot of time at all-star games. (Dolphins offensive line coach Butch Berry) went out and spent a day with them and had a private workout with them. So this is a player we’re very convicted on for what he can add with his size, his power. He’s got versatility. He’s played tackle guard, so he’s an athletic kid. he’s a guy that we can add He’s got versatility. He’s an athletic kid.”

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Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said drafting Savaiinaea was “about getting better” on the offensive line to protect quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who’s entering his fifth season as Miami’s starter.

“We’ve been very focused finding the right people to take advantage of the opportunity we have,” said McDaniel. “We feel convicted in players we’ve added this year and players we’ve added at that position. We have the right type of guys to go to work and they can define what the offensive line is.”

Savaiinaea had a “formal interview with Mike McDaniel at the (NFL Scouting Combine) and he is a funny dude,” the former UA offensive lineman told reporters on Friday after he was drafted.

“He’s super funny and not afraid to be himself,” Savaiinaea said. “He was chill. He said, ‘If I punched you right now, would you punch me back?’”

Both Savaiinaea and Tagovailoa played at St. Louis High School in Honolulu. Tagovailoa’s last season at St. Louis was in 2016. Savaiinaea’s final season was in 2021, before he signed with Arizona in 2022. Savaiinaea first met Tagovailoa at the Polynesian Bowl just before his UA career.

“I’m excited to block for Tua in the future,” Savaiinaea said. “I’ve only blocked for Polynesian quarterbacks in my career. God wants me to block for my people.”

The 6-4, 324-pound Savaiinaea is expected to start at one of the guard spots on Miami’s offensive line, a position he played as a true freshman at Arizona. Savaiinaea said he feels “comfortable inside and I like to get my hands on people (and) I want to tighten up my stance and give myself some space.”

Whether it’s right guard or left guard, “I hope people will say that Miami made the right pick in trading up for me” in several years,” Savaiinaea said.

He added: “God-willing we’re going to go to a Super Bowl.”

T-Mac learns from ‘young and dumb’ moment

In the weeks leading up to the NFL Draft, a video surfaced of McMillan, as a freshman at Arizona, admitting to not watching football or personal film unless it’s in a mandatory setting.

During his introductory press conference in Charlotte on Friday, McMillan said, “I definitely have grown, I definitely have matured since then.”

“I feel like I wouldn’t be here in front of y’all today without loving this game, without watching film,” McMillan said. “That was just young and dumb freshman me. I’ve definitely matured from that, for sure.”

After he was introduced in Carolina, McMillan said he’s “going to go home to Hawaii, just spend time with my family, just enjoy, embrace it all” before the Panthers’ rookie minicamp that begins on May 9.

“But I mean, after this weekend, we’ve got to get to work,” he said. “I know rookie minicamp is two weeks from yesterday, but the grind starts now. It’s only the beginning, so I’m ready to get after it.”

Panthers pay the Ransom

Tucson native and former Ohio State safety Lathan Ransom was drafted by the Carolina Panthers at No. 122 overall in the fourth round of the NFL Draft on Saturday in Green Bay.

This year marks the third straight year a Tucsonan was drafted to the NFL. Last year, the Green Bay Packers drafted former Marana offensive lineman Jordan Morgan in the first round.

Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson, Ransom’s teammate at Salpointe Catholic High School, was drafted eighth overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. Ransom and Robinson will now face each other twice a year as NFC South opponents.

Ransom joins McMillan as draftees by the Panthers this year.

The hard-hitting Ransom recently ended his roller coaster journey at Ohio State with a national championship. Ransom’s OSU teammate, linebacker Jack Sawyer, was the subsequent pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 123 overall.

Throughout his time at Ohio State, Ransom suffered multiple injuries that sidelined him for several games. He had a gruesome leg injury in the 2021 Rose Bowl, but returned to “the granddaddy of them all” as a senior and helped the Buckeyes win the Rose Bowl and advance in the College Football Playoff.

In his final season as a Buckeye, Ransom became an All-Big Ten selection and posted a career-high 75 tackles, three forced fumbles and an interception.

Ransom is the latest Tucsonan to play in the NFL and now joins Robinson, Morgan, New York Giants linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles and free agent cornerback Levi Wallace, who played for the Denver Broncos last season.

The Panthers face the Arizona Cardinals in Glendale this season. The official NFL schedule will be released on Wednesday, May 14.