Rising Star Receiver Poised for Potential Breakout Year
Arizona's Chris Hunter spent all of the 2024 season behind Tetairoa McMillan as the no. 2 option for quarterback Noah Fifita, who struggled to distribute the ball to other receivers in a 4-8 2024 season
Head coach Brent Brennan made it a point early in the season that speed and depth needed to be added to the roster in order for Fifita and the team to be successful in the upcoming season.
"Early in the season last year, I said to coach (Bobby) Wade, we have to get faster at receiver. That was an absolute mantra, like, like, I was driving that so hard. And like you said in the receiver space, I can be a little bit of a hard ass because I have that's my thing. And so we needed more people on to even that out. "
McMillan was drafted in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers with the eighth pick back in April, making it an even bigger point of emphasis to add more weapons in the arsenal of the 2023 Pac-12 freshman of the year.
The Wildcats hit the portal hard for the missing speed and may have found it in transfers Javin "Nunu" Whatley, Tre Spivey and Luke Wysong-All of whom possess the prerequisites that Brennan was looking for.
The transfers add to the returning cast of Chris Hunter, Jeremiah Patterson and Devin Hyatt to go along with freshmen Iaiah Mizell, Brandon Phelps and Gio Richardson.
Hunter brings with him a veteran presence now that it's his third year with the Wildcats. Wide receivers coach Bobby Wade has been impressed with his development from last season to now.
"I think him being with me last year, his development, his journey in getting into a position to really be a contributor late in the season, really just highlights his ability to be able to develop and listen, take the coaching, and then, you know, become a leader," Wade said. "This off-season, he did a great job with stepping up in the room and speaking to the boys out loud and becoming that voice in the room as a leader."
Of the talented receivers in that room, Hunter is the one who stands out as a returning junior, who became the clear No. 2 target in an offense that relied so much on force-feeding the ball to McMillan for success.
Hunter brings the most game-time experience in Arizona's offense and will utilize that to give a leadership presence to the transfers and help mentor the freshmen.
"I think that's something that Coach Bobby and Coach Brennan have, even Noah (Fifita) told me, 'You need to step into that role more.' I'm an older guy now, it feels weird to say, but it's the truth. So just with the new transfers coming in, trying to make sure that they get the vibe that we're trying to bring, they understand the red line and what we're trying to instill into each person. And then obviously the freshmen coming in, specifically the freshman receivers. I was there, and I know how it feels to come into a new situation... Just making sure we stay close as a family, but let them know, like, it's real and they could do whatever they put their mind to. That's kind of what I've been trying to do."
The 6-foot-3, 193-pound junior out of New Orleans, Louisiana, struggled to record a catch for the first four weeks of the 2024 season, but soon found his share of targets when he began getting into the groove of things.
In the last six weeks of the season, Hunter averaged 5.2 catches pre-game. It had become apparent to him that he was now the clear No. 2 behind McMillan.
"I always felt I could be that guy," Hunter said. "Obviously, they gained full confidence in me around the Colorado game, and then I didn't gain that fully to establish that was UCF game. Obviously, when you're playing in a game like that, where it's like things just aren't going your way. It's the perfect time to find out who could be that other guy."
With less than a month to go before the start of the season, its going to be interseting to see who emerges at the top of newly stacked wide receiver room.
Until then, Hunter has been focused on improving from where he left off last season and maintaining his spot as the primary receiver to Fifita.
Although it may seem like there is constant competition among the skilled players, Hunter feels that they have built a close camaraderie together.
"I think first and foremost, the biggest thing in the receivers as a room in general, we see each other as brothers," Hunter said. "When you start with that connection from the from you know, it's pretty much a completely new room. So the fact that we are already at that point, you could rely on whoever's on the field."
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Nathaniel Martinez and a set of shoulder pads at 7 years old. He later graduated from Pima Community College in 2023, where he began writing for the Pima Post. He is working to achieve a Bachelor’s in Mass Communication and Media Studies.