Arizona Quarterback Commit Oscar Rios Given Prestigious Honor

Arizona's four-star 2026 quarterback, Oscar Rios, was recently given a prestigious honor.

Oct 4, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; The helmet of an Arizona Wildcats player is seen in the end zone before the ga,e against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Arizona's 2026 class is well-rounded, with 20 prospects currently committed. However, Oscar Rios, a quarterback prospect from Downey High School in Downey, California, leads the group as the only four-star commit for the Wildcats in the cycle.

There’s a lot of excitement around Rios in Tucson, considering 247Sports ranks him as the No. 150 overall prospect, No. 11 quarterback, and No. 20 player from California in the 2026 class. The hype around Rios has grown even more as he was recently given a prestigious honor.

Oscar Rios Awarded with Prestigious Honor

On October 21, Rios was selected to the Polynesian Bowl roster. The Polynesian Bowl is a high school all-star game that gathers some of the top players in the country together ahead of the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony.

TOP QB OSCAR RIOS has been selected as a 2026 POLYNESIAN BOWL ALL-STAR! #polybowl2k26🤙🏽🌴 pic.twitter.com/aOdwelnLkV

— POLYNESIAN BOWL (@polynesiabowl) October 21, 2025

The 2026 event will be held on Friday, January 16, in Honolulu, Hawaii, and the game will air on the NFL Network. Rios is one of eight quarterbacks to be invited to the Polynesian Bowl, joining other top quarterbacks in the cycle, such as Ohio State commit Brady Edmunds and Florida commit Will Griffin.

Rios spoke with 247Sports' Blair Angulo about the honor and explained that he has dreamed of playing in the Polynesian Bowl since he was a kid.

Jan 20, 2023; Honolulu, Hawaii, US; Team Mauka wide receiver from Bishop Gorman high school Zachariah Branch (1) breaks free past Team Makai linebacker from Manteca high school Blake Nichelson (21) for a touchdown during the first half of the Polynesian Bowl at Kunuiakea Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steven Erler-USA TODAY NETWORK | Imagn Images-USA TODAY NETWORK

• "Being selected to play in the Polynesian Bowl means a lot to me because, since I was a little kid, it was always a dream and goal for me to receive an invite from this amazing game," Rios told 247Sports.

There's a long history of Arizona commits receiving an invitation to the Polynesian Bowl, with many current and former Wildcats stars being named to the roster.

Aug 31, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) celebrates touchdown with Arizona Wildcats quarterback Noah Fifita (11) during first quarter at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Rios is the 16th Arizona commit to get an invitation since 2021, joining Tiaoalii Savea, Keyan Burnett, Noah Fifita, Jacob Manu, Tetairoa McMillan, Jonah Savaiinaea, Ta'ita'i Uiagalelei, Brayden Dorman, Gavin Hunter, Kamuela Ka'aihue, Julian Savaiinaea, Leviticus Su'a, Michael Salgado-Medina, Mays Pese, and Sione Tohi.

This achievement highlights Rios' talent and signals that he is regarded as one of the top quarterbacks in the country. Arizona fought hard to land the Downey High School star, and Rios chose the Wildcats over Kentucky, UCLA, and Oklahoma State.

When Noah Fifita eventually leaves the program, there's a strong chance that Rios will take over as Arizona's starting quarterback. There's a long way to go in Rios's football career before he asserts himself as a college football star, but being invited to the Polynesian Bowl is a strong start for the future Wildcat.

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