Arizona Wildcats Set Up Two Visits With Players From the Transfer Portal
In the words of Arizona Wildcats head coach Brent Brennan, things aren't fun in Tucson right now.
After a disastrous season where they mightily underachieved compared to expectations when they didn't even qualify for a bowl game, the roster is going to look much different next year based on the number of transfers exiting Arizona.
They also were dealt some blows with Jonah Savaiinaea and Tetairoa McMillan officially declaring for the NFL draft, and even though that was expected, it still takes two of their best players out of the equation.
The only thing left for Brennan and his staff to do is put their heads down and go to work in the transfer portal for themselves, and that's seemingly exactly what they're doing.
Arizona has been busy reaching out to players, and that has now resulted in two visits.
Per Chris Hummer and Matt Zenitz of 247Sports, former New Mexico safety Christian Ellis scheduled a trip to campus on Dec. 12 and former Northwestern State edge rusher Chancellor Owens is set to visit on Dec. 13.
Neither of these players would necessarily turn heads, but the Wildcats need to bring in talent.
Ellis joined New Mexico as a three-star recruit as part of the 2022 class, and he immediately got onto the field by playing in seven games during his freshman season.
Over the course of his three-year career there, he wracked up 161 total tackles, 77 of them solo and four for loss, while also recording eight pass breakups, one interception, and one fumble recovery for a 41-yard touchdown.
Owens is virtually an unknown player.
After not being rated as a high school player, he committed to FCS-level Northwestern State as part of their 2023 class.
He might be under the radar, but he is productive.
Owens has played in 18 games the past two seasons of his collegiate career, and during that time, he's totaled 78 tackles, 25 of them being solo, while also recording 12 tackles for a loss and 4.5 sacks with two forced fumbles.
At 6-foot-3 and 260 pounds, he has the size needed to make the leap to the Big 12.
