Top Three Transfers From Arizona's Defense in 2025
In this story:
Arizona had a lot of work to do to rebuild the roster after a subpar 2024 campaign. Brent Brennan made a series of big moves in the portal to elevate the defense, but his most important move wasn't a player; it was a coach.
Defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales changed the program in just one season. Last season, without Gonzales, the Wildcats were horrendous defensively. They allowed 31.8 points per game (109th nationally), 239 passing yards (103rd), 413 total yards (106th) and 1.3 turnovers forced per game (82nd).
Now, Arizona boasts one of the top defenses in college football. The Wildcats allowed 18.9 points per game (19th nationally), 155.9 passing yards (4th), 301.6 total yards (16th) and 2.3 turnovers forced per game (1st).
Arizona thrived on defense, carrying the Wildcats a string of victories to end the season. Much of that production came from the transfer portal. Brennan had great success in the portal, and these three had the biggest impact.
DL Deshawn McKnight
Playing mostly from the interior, Deshawn McKnight disrupted opposing rushing attacks all season long. Formerly of UT Martin and Appalachian State, the defensive tackle made 26 tackles this season and led the Wildcats with 11 tackles for loss.
McKnight didn't always turn in an overwhelming stat sheet, but his work moving linemen off their spots and redirecting runs helped Arizona tremendously. He also had two sacks this season, which is a decent mark for the big man inside.
The senior achieved All-Big 12 honorable mention status for his work this season. He also generated 12 pressures as a pass rusher and had 17 "stops", a metric that PFF tracks that follows tackles which result in a negative play for the offense.
The Wildcats have some promising young depth along the defensive line, but it will still take quite an effort to fill his shoes next season.
CB Jay'Vion Cole
Jay'Vion Cole had a role that resulted in inconsistent playing time, but whenever he needed to step up on the outside, he always rose to the occasion. In his first season with the Wildcats, Cole logged 23 tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble, three pass deflections and four interceptions, tying him for the team lead.
The Texas transfer earned All-Big 12 third team honors this season after playing in 10 games. He had some help at the corner position with Treydan Stukes in the slot and fellow transfer Ayden Garnes typically holding down the other side of the field.
Cole had just two penalties and allowed an NFL passer rating of just 56.7 when targeted. He was also one of Arizona's best tacklers at corner, missing just a pair of tackles on the season. While Garnes will graduate, the Wildcats can expect Cole to return next season, and he may develop into the leader of the position room.
LB Max Harris
Max Harris was another stout run defender this season for the Wildcats after transferring over from Texas State, alongside tailback Ismail Mahdi. Harris also has previous stops along his college journey at Louisiana-Monroe and Incarnate Word.
The three-time transfer turned in a solid season from the center of the Wildcats' defense. Harris had 75 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble and eight pressures this season. He wasn't much of a coverage linebacker, as Arizona occasionally pulled him off the field on passing downs, but the 6-foot, 230-pound linebacker was a bull against the run.
As the fourth-leading tackler on the team, Harris earned All-Big 12 honorable mention status in his lone season as a Wildcat.
Let us know who you thought were the best transfers for the Arizona defense this season. To do so, follow us on our X account by clicking on the link.
Logan Brown is an alumnus of the prestigious Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. He currently works as a General College Sports Reporter On SI. Logan has an extensive background in writing and has contributed to Cronkite Sports, PHNX Sports, and Motion Graphics.
Follow loganabrown