Former Wyoming defensive end and sixth-year senior Braden Siders announced on Wednesday that he's transferring to the Arizona Wildcats.Β Β 

The 6-3, 252-pound edge rusher and Thornton, Colorado native signed with Wyoming during the pandemic-influenced season in 2020, but didn't appear in any games for the Cowboys until the 2022 season.

In the last three seasons at Wyoming, Siders recorded 92 tackles and 14.5 sacks. As a redshirt freshman in 2022, Siders led the Cowboys with 13.5 tackles for loss.

Siders has already played two games at Arizona Stadium for the Arizona Bowl, which was previously sponsored by Barstool Sports before Snoop Dogg took over. In a walk-off 16-15 win over Toledo in 2023, Siders had two tackles for Wyoming. In the '22 Arizona Bowl, an overtime loss to Ohio, Siders had six tackles and two sacks.Β 

Wyoming defensive end Braden Siders (86), left, and linebacker Connor Shay (33) sack Ohio quarterback CJ Harris (10) in the second quarter of the Arizona Bowl at Arizona Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., December 30, 2022.

After signing mostly interior defensive linemen for 2025, the Wildcats were in need of edge rushers, especially after the loss of Ta’ita’i Uiagalelei, who transferred to Washington, and senior Lance Keneley.

Arizona returns starters in Tre Smith and Chase Kennedy, along with Dominic Lolesio and Sterling Lane II. The Wildcats also return redshirt freshman Julian Savaiinaea (younger brother of former UA star offensive tackle Jonah Savaiinaea) and former Memphis transfer Jarra Anderson, who suffered a season-ending leg injury at the start of the 2024 season.Β 

Wyoming defensive end Braden Siders (86) runs downfield on a punt during the first half of an NCAA football game against Connecticut on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, in East Hartford, Conn. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)

In the transfer portal, Arizona has added four defensive linemen: Siders, Montana edge rusher Riley Wilson, Northwestern State defensive end Chancellor Owens and UT Martin defensive tackle Deshawn McKnight. Between transfers and high school and junior-college players, the Wildcats have eight scholarship newcomers on the defensive line.Β 

Arizona has 22 total prospects in the transfer portal.Β 


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Contact Justin Spears, the Star's Arizona football beat reporter, at jspears@tucson.com. On X(Twitter): @JustinESports