We’ve reached the home stretch — the can’t-miss two-part finale of our countdown of the 10 most valuable Arizona Wildcats of 2018 … other than Khalil Tate.
This list is a rarity when it comes to UA football — a Tate-free zone. Had we included him, there would have been no suspense this week. You probably have guessed our pick for No. 1 at this point, but our choice for the second spot might surprise you.
Before we go any further, two quick reminders:
- “Most valuable” does not necessarily mean “best.” Rather, we’re 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. Even though freshmen played a huge role on last year’s team, it’s just too hard to predict who will have an immediate impact before training camp gets underway.
NO. 2: CB JACE WHITTAKER
Ht/Wt/Yr: 5-11, 182, senior
Comment: Here’s the case for Jace …
First of all, he’s a very good college football player.
As a junior, Whittaker ranked among the Pac-12 leaders in passes defensed. He led Arizona with 13 pass breakups and was tied for second with three interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown. He also had two tackles for losses.
Pro Football Focus, the outfit that grades every individual player in the NFL and FBS, showed Whittaker a lot of love. Whittaker made PFF’s All-Pac-12 second team. Per PFF’s numbers, Whittaker had the sixth-lowest passer rating when targeted among conference cornerbacks entering bowl season.
Whittaker, like the Wildcats overall, got off to a shaky start in the Foster Farms Bowl. He allowed two touchdowns in the first quarter.
But the veteran found his form thereafter and finished with an impressive stat line: 12 tackles, 1.5 TFLs and three pass breakups.
That’s one of the qualities that makes Whittaker so valuable: He possesses the mental toughness needed to play one of football’s most demanding positions — one where you’re often on your own, solely responsible for guarding your man.
Whittaker played through some sort of foot injury for most of the second half of the season. When he participated in a media interview after the bowl schedule was announced, Whittaker had a boot on his left foot. That was a regular look for him off the field. He didn’t miss any significant game time.
The injury occurred Oct. 28 vs. Washington State. This is what Whittaker said about it in early December:
“I’ve gotta play. I believe in everything that the trainers are doing. They’re getting me right to keep playing. That’s the least of my worries. I’ve been practicing. I’ll be fine.”
In addition to becoming a top player, Whittaker last season emerged as one of Arizona’s premier spokesmen and leaders. He has a feistiness and cockiness about him that are also perfectly suited for the position he plays.
Whittaker and senior safety Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (No. 8 on our list) are the elder statesmen in an otherwise youthful secondary. None of the other projected starters is a senior; most of the others who are expected to be part of the rotation are sophomores or freshmen.
One other factor that gives Whittaker a boost is job security. Although fellow corner Lorenzo Burns approached — or, in the case of interceptions, exceeded — Whittaker’s numbers, Burns could be pushed by uber-athletic sophomore Tony Wallace (or perhaps freshmen McKenzie Barnes or Jhevon Hill).
Barring injury, Whittaker is about as safe a bet as Arizona has to keep his job and sustain his level of performance. The Associated Press also selected him for the Pac-12’s second team last year. Whittaker should be in line for all-conference honors again this season.
He isn’t the biggest or fastest corner, but Whittaker more than makes up for it with smarts and toughness. His consistency and production seal the deal: Whittaker is unquestionably one of the Wildcats’ most valuable players entering 2018.
10 MOST VALUABLE CATS (BESIDES KHALIL TATE)
