Former Arizona CB Marquis Groves-Killebrew transfers to Nebraska

Former Arizona Wildcats cornerback Marquis Groves-Killebrew is set to play for his fourth school in as many seasons.

Groves-Killebrew transferred to Nebraska after one season in Tucson, he announced on Thursday. 

Groves-Killebrew started six games for the Wildcats this past season and was in line to start in Arizona’s secondary this season. He split starts with second-year cornerback Emmanuel Karnley, who transferred to Miami. Karnley was suspended for the season finale against Arizona State after he was ejected in Arizona’s previous game for spitting on a TCU player.

In 2022, the 6-0, 185-pound Groves-Killebrew signed with Texas A&M as a four-star recruit after starring at Atlanta-area North Cobb High School in Kennesaw, Georgia. Groves-Killebrew played in the 2022 All-American Bowl, which also featured former UA star wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan and former running back Rayshon “Speedy” Luke, who was the game’s MVP after scoring two touchdowns.

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Groves-Killebrew appeared in three games at Texas A&M before transferring to Louisville, where he spent the first roughly dozen years of his life before moving to Atlanta. Groves-Killebrew “was homesick and wanted to go home,” he said in August, so he transferred to Louisville for one season, before trekking to Tucson for his redshirt sophomore season at the UA.

Groves-Killebrew had 26 tackles, four pass deflections and one stop for loss for the Wildcats in 2024.

With Groves-Killebrew, Karnley and Tacario Davis (Washington), who transferred to Washington, gone, the only returning cornerback with starting experience is nickel back Treydan Stukes. Arizona added three cornerbacks in the transfer portal: Michael Dansby (San Jose State), Jay’Vion Cole (Texas) and Ayden Garnes (West Virginia).

The Wildcats currently have seven scholarship newcomers at cornerback for 2025.