Predicting Arizona Stat Leaders for 2026-27 Season

As college football teams across the country enter into the next phases of their offseason, they’ll be looking for players to take ownership of certain roles in ways that help the team maximize its results.

Some of those players have already emerged and even entered spring practices with those roles locked up. But who will perform when the lights come on and become the top players?

Here are a few predictions for Arizona’s top players and statistical leaders in the 2026-27 season.

Offense

Passing: Noah Fifita

This is the clearest and most obvious category on this list. Fifita is entering his fourth season as the starting quarterback for the Wildcats, and after a superb junior campaign, there’s no question he’s the starter, and the offense revolves around him and his skill set. As the focal point, everything will rely on him, and he’s shown he can excel at the highest level.

The redshirt senior has already etched his name in the Arizona record books, and his final season is shaping up to be epic. He’s even on the cusp of claiming the program’s passing yards record.

Rushing: Kedrick Reescano

The running back room is such a big question mark right now, so we’re going with the high upside guy. Reescano quietly worked his way to becoming a coveted high school recruit and began his career at Ole Miss before joining the Wildcats. He’s put together solid years but never taken full control of the backfield.

Arizona’s current running back group suggests they’ll use a committee-based approach, but as a redshirt senior with plenty to prove, Reescano could be in for a true breakout season.

Receiving: Tre Spivey

Spivey finished as the Wildcats’ third-leading receiver last season and has received plenty of praise for his efforts this offseason. He’s a big-bodied target at 6-foot-4, which is a welcome asset for Fifita, and he’s coming off an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention season. If he continues to improve along the current trajectory, he’ll have a chance to emerge as Arizona’s No.1 receiver and one of the best in the Big 12.

Total Touchdowns: Fifita

This is also a pretty easy prediction, as Fififta will have a huge hand in what the Arizona offense does. He’s already responsible for 77 touchdowns in his career, and the transfer additions to the Wildcats’ offense may make it the most complete team he has been a part of since arriving in Tucson.

Defense

Tackles: Taye Brown

Brown has said his mission is to become the best linebacker in the Big 12 Conference, and when you accomplish that, you’re usually among the top tacklers on your team and in the conference. Arizona may have a deeper linebacker corps this season, but Brown remains at its forefront.

He was second on the team with 93 tackles last season and has over 163 in his two years as a starter for the Wildcats’ defense. There’s no reason he can’t reach the 100 mark if he stays healthy, and that should put him near the top of the list.

Sacks: Cooper Blomstrom

It will be interesting to see how well and how quickly Blomstrom adjusts to the Power Four competition, but he has the track record of success needed to flourish as a pass-rusher. Plus, Arizona doesn’t have a ton of other options to fill that role on its roster, at least not as a pure pass-rusher.

The Georgetown transfer had 16 sacks and 27 tackles for loss (TFLs) over three seasons for the Hoyas, and his 7.5 sacks each of the last two years would have been nearly double the amount the Wildcats’ sack leaders had in those seasons.

Interceptions: Jay’Vion Cole

There are plenty of options to choose from for this category in Arizona’s replenished secondary, but why not go with the proven commodity? Cole is the lone returning starter on the defense’s backend and knows exactly what his role is. He tied for the team lead with four interceptions last season, earning All-Big 12 honors.

As his final season in Tucson commences, he continues to develop in the same role, so there’s no reason to believe he won’t have the same type of impact on the 2026-27 season.