First Arizona depth chart shows breadth of transfer portal’s impact on college football

Considering the amount of roster turnover during the offseason, it was expected that Arizona’s starting lineup for the 2025 opener would have a lot of new faces. Based on the initial depth chart, newcomers may make up the majority of starters.

The UA released its initial depth chart on Monday, one that features 15 players who are in their first year with the program listed as either the starter or co-starter. Only 10 positions feature a member of the Wildcats’ 2024 roster as the projected starter, including just three spots on offense.

“That’s what we needed to do to feel like it would give us a chance to field the best football team we could field this season,” UA coach Brent Brennan said. “The portal was critical.”

Three of the four projected wide receiver starters are transfers, while redshirt junior Chris Hunter is listed as co-starter with Kansas State transfer Tre Spivey. Two of three of the starting offensive linemen will be transfers, along with half the defensive line, a linebacker and one or both cornerbacks.

Three players are listed as co-starter at running back, with returner Kedrick Reescano listed first ahead of transfers Ismail Mahdi and Quincy Craig.

There are also transfers listed as the starter for four of seven specialist roles, with ex-Illinois State kicker Ian Wagner in line to handle kickoffs and holding on extra points and field goals. Both the punting and place kicking duties, for now, will go to sophomore Michael Salgado-Medina, who beat out freshman Tyler Prashun in the battle to replace Tyler Loop at kicker and held off Austalian Isaac Lovison to retain his punter job.

“That was not the plan going into the season, but that’s how it played out in training camp,” Brennan said of Salgado-Medina’s double duties. “Everything that we do is decided on the field, and that’s how it played out in training camp. So credit to Michael. Now, he better kick some ass on Saturday night or someone else will get a chance, because that’s the way this game goes. But credit to him, he did a really nice job in camp, and so did the other guys. Isaac did a nice job on the ball, he’s coming along. And then also Tyler did a nice job with his place picking. So I think the good news is, is that we do have competition there, which is going to keep the pressure on those guys continue to achieve and continue to compete.

Arizona has 61 newcomers on the team. There are 29 additions from the NCAA transfer portal, 27 freshmen, four from the junior college ranks and one ex-Australian rules football player. That accounts for more than 55 percent of the UA’s 110-man roster.

“I think that speaks to where we’re at in college football right now,” Brennan said. “I don’t think that’s going to be unique at the University of Arizona, where somewhere between 25 and 50 percent of your starters are all new players. And I would also guess that at other places that might look like 80 to 100 percent, every program is different.”