Arizona added another weapon to its running back room with former Utah Utes running back Mike Mitchell. The Wildcats officially signed Mitchell on Sunday.
Mitchell has three years of eligibility remaining.
The 6-foot, 216-pound Mitchell joins Arizona after two seasons at Utah. The Orange Park, Florida native signed with the Utes in 2023, but didn’t see any action in his first season.
As a redshirt freshman in 2024, Mitchell had 47 carries for 158 yards and a touchdown. He had three carries for 2 yards in the Utes’ loss to Arizona in Salt Lake City.
Utah running back Mike Mitchell (21) runs the football for a first down during an NCAA football game on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024 in Logan, Utah.
Mitchell is the second running back pickup for Arizona in the transfer portal, joining former Texas State star Ismail Mahdi.
The 5-9, 180-pound Mahdi led FBS in all-purpose yards (2,169) in 2023 and was a two-time All-Sun Belt First-Team member in the last two seasons. Mahdi was named a first-team All-American by CBS Sports and 247Sports in 2023.
In two seasons at Texas State, Mahdi had 406 rush attempts for 2,322 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also had 31 kick returns for 760 yards and a touchdown. Mahdi’s career-high is 216 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries against Nevada in 2023. Mahdi had four performances with over 100 yards in 2024, including his 147-yard outing against South Alabama to end the season.
Mitchell and Mahdi join an Arizona running back room that lost leading rusher Quali Conley, Rayshon Luke — who redshirted this past season and entered the transfer portal — and redshirt freshman Brandon Johnson.
The Wildcats return redshirt freshman Kedrick Reescano, who transferred from Ole Miss last season. Reescano had 78 carries for 359 yards and a touchdown in his first season at Arizona. Arizona also has walk-on fullback and former Canyon del Oro High School star Kayden Luke.
Arizona signed three-star running back and Houston-area native Wesley Yarbrough in its 2025 recruiting class. At Crosby High School in Crosby, Texas, Yarbrough had 458 rushes for 2,767 yards and 32 touchdowns in three seasons.
The Wildcats have added 17 players in the transfer portal, which officially closed for new entries on Sunday. Arizona’s 2025 recruiting is ranked 24th nationally and fifth in the Big 12, per 247Sports.com. The Wildcats have the fourth-best transfer portal class in the Big 12, according to Rivals.
