Gunner Maldonado is a Wildcat. Just not the Wildcats in Tucson.
The Arizona safety is expected to transfer to Kansas State for his final season of eligibility, according to Matt Zenitz and Chris Hummer of CBS Sports and 247Sports on Monday.
Kansas State will play against Arizona in Tucson for a nonconference game in 2025 to complete the home-and-home series.
Maldonado was a mainstay in Arizonaβs defense the last three seasons after transferring from Northwestern (also the Wildcats) in 2021. The Chandler product started 31 games in four years for the UA and had 175 tackles, four interceptions, eight pass deflections, six forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
Maldonado transferred to Arizona just after former head coach Jedd Fisch was hired by the Wildcats and went through 1-11 and 5-7 seasons before the 10-3 season and a win over Oklahoma in the Alamo Bowl, the best three-season turnaround in program history. Maldonadoβs 87-yard fumble return for a touchdown in the Alamo Bowl sparked the Wildcatsβ comeback to beat Oklahoma β a play that could go arguably down as a top 3 moment in program history behind Chuck Cecilβs pick-six against Arizona State in 1986 and Ortege Jenkinsβ βLeap by the Lakeβ against Washington in 1998.
Maldonado went from 48 tackles and three forced fumbles in 2022 to 81 tackles (third-best on the team), three fumble recoveries and two interceptions in β23.
Maldonadoβs missed-tackle percentage dropped from 24.2% in β22 to 11.2% in β23, according to Pro Football Focus. Receiversβ yards after catch (YAC), with Maldonado in coverage, dipped from 283 yards to 166, per Pro Football Focus. Maldonadoβs overall PFF grade rose from 50.9 to 77.1 and his tackling grade improved from 38.1 to 76.4.
Despite Fisch leaving for Washington, Maldonado, nickel back Treydan Stukes and strong safety Dalton Johnson simultaneously announced their decisions to return to Arizona and play for first-year head coach Brent Brennan.
Maldonado played in four games for the Wildcats this season before he suffered a season-ending leg injury against Texas Tech. Both Stukes and Maldonado played in four games and medically redshirted to preserve a year of eligibility. Maldonado had four tackles in Arizonaβs 31-7 loss to Kansas State in Manhattan in September. Maldonado was relieved by Tennessee transfer Jack Luttrell, who tied sophomore defensive back Genesis Smith for a team-high three interceptions.
Maldonado is the second defensive captain to leave Arizona. Linebacker Jacob Manu transferred to Washington on Friday. Stukes, who also entered the transfer portal, remains undecided.
Johnson and Smith were among the several defensive players to enter the portal after the season, but both opted to return for the 2025 season. The Wildcats currently have seven defensive starters returning for next season.
Arizona adds tight end Cameron Barmore in transfer portal
The transfer portal pickups for Arizona continued on Monday after the Wildcats added former Mercyhurst tight end Cameron Barmore.
Barmore, a 6-6, 230-pound Panama, New York native, transferred to Arizona after hauling in 73 passes for 978 yards and 13 touchdowns this past season at Mercyhurst, an FCS program in Erie, Pennsylvania.
Mercyhurst played its first season as an FCS program in 2024 after competing at the Division II level from 1993-2023. The Lakers went 4-7 in their inaugural season in the FCS. Barmore is the third FCS-level player Arizona has brought in via the transfer portal, along with Northwestern State linebacker and FCS All-American Blake Gotcher and defensive end Chancellor Owens.
The sixth-year Barmore is entering his final season of eligibility. He signed with Mercyhurst in 2020 and played in the pandemic-influenced season in spring of β21. Barmore only played in four games in β23 and redshirted that season before a breakout senior campaign this year. Barmore finished his Mercyhurst career with 166 catches for 2,378 yards and 29 touchdowns.
Barmore played wide receiver at Mercyhurst, but signed with Arizona as a tight end and joins a position group thatβs returning Sam Olson, who had 13 catches for 196 yards and a touchdown, Phoenix native Tyler Powell and redshirt junior Roberto Miranda. Arizona signed three-star tight end Kellan Ford, a 6-5, 230-pound Northern California native, who is a longtime family friend of Brennan.
The Wildcats lost former starter Keyan Burnett and Dorian Thomas to the transfer portal. After three seasons at Arizona, Burnett transferred to Kansas, which plays at the UA in the 2025 season.
Barmore is the 14th overall addition for Arizona in the transfer portal. Arizona’s transfer portal class ranks 25th nationally — sixth in the Big 12 behind Texas Tech, Kansas, Colorado, Utah and Houston, according to 247Sports.com. Rivals ranked Arizona’s transfer portal class 27th in college football and fifth in the conference behind Texas Tech, Kansas, Colorado and Oklahoma State.
