Continuing our countdown of the 17 most valuable Arizona Wildcats of 2017.
Before we go any further, some disclaimers:
βMost valuableβ does not necessarily mean βbest.β Rather, weβre defining it as the contributions and traits that most influence winning football. They include talent, leadership and projected role and production.
Newcomers were not eligible for the list. Although many might become major contributors this year, especially on defense, their roles are just too difficult to predict in June.
NO. 14: DL PARKER ZELLERS
Ht/Wt/Yr: 6-1, 247, senior
Comment: Arizona has spent considerable resources trying to find needed upgrades along the defensive line. Yet one of the players the UA has sought to replace happens to be one of its most irreplaceable players.
At 6-1, 247, Zellers has no business playing nose tackle in the Pac-12, at least not in 2017. But Zellers worked his way from walk-on to starter. Defensive line coach Vince Amey runs a meritocracy, and Zellers earned his spot by outplaying bigger, more sought-after players (which would be just about everybody else).
Which isnβt to say Zellers is an All-Pac-12 performer. He had 12 tackles in nine games last season. Three of those were sacks. That tied for the team lead. His two forced fumbles gave him solo top honors in that category.
None of those numbers are worth bragging about β not that Zellers would do so anyway. Heβs a self-made, team-first guy, and thatβs where his true value lies β as a leader and inspiration to his teammates.
Remember what Rich Rodriguez said recently about Zellers? I had asked the UA coach in April which defensive players stood out most in spring. He said this:
βYou talk about a guy like Parker Zellers. He came here as an unrecruited walk-on that nobody knew anything about. Undersized. And he made himself into a player. This spring he was even better (despite missing time while rehabbing a shoulder injury). Heβs a guy youβve got to throw out of drills. Thatβs an example of that edge weβve got to keep fostering.β
Whatβs strange about Zellersβ role on the team β the Parker Paradox, if you will β is that heβll be even more valuable if he plays less. Zellers isnβt built for 80-90 plays. He and the rest of Arizonaβs undersized defensive front wore down as games progressed on a regular basis last year.
Itβs imperative that the Wildcats develop two complete D-line units that the coaches are confident in deploying. Despite losing some possible rotation players for one reason or another (Justin Holt, Gaelin Elmore, Dereck Boles), the staff is working toward that end.
One player Arizona did add is 300-plus-pound nose tackle Sione Taufahema, a stout junior-college transfer who would complement Zellers well. Placing Zellers into a third-down role β where he could utilize his quickness and not have to worry as much about stopping the run β would enhance his effectiveness. Heβs already a respected contributor in so many other ways.
THE 17 MOST VALUABLE WILDCATS OF 2017
No. 17:Β TE Trevor Wood
No. 16:Β CB Dane Cruikshank
No. 15: RB Nick Wilson
