Wildcats Land Another Defensive Back in Transfer Portal

Howard transfer adds important depth to Arizona secondary depleted by graduations.

Jan 2, 2026; San Diego, CA, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Brent Brennan reacts after shaking hands with SMU Mustangs head coach Rhett Lashlee in the Holiday Bowl at Snapdragon Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Arizona football team added to its transfer portal haul on Friday, securing a commitment from an FCS defensive transfer.

The Wildcats have signed defensive back Zuri Watson from Howard University, helping replenish a secondary that will be gutted by graduations and NFL Draft dreams this summer. According to 247 Sports' rankings, he's the seventh defensive back to sign with Arizona through the transfer portal during the current period, and the 21st overall player to do so.

BREAKING: Howard cornerback Zuri Watson has transferred to Arizona.

Watson will have three years of eligibility left. pic.twitter.com/FaruIWxAFA

— PHNX Wildcats (@PHNX_Wildcats) January 16, 2026

Arizona has landed multiple defensive backs this week, including former elite Oregon commit, Daylen Austin.

What Zuri Watson Brings to the Table

Watson is a bit of a gamble at this point. He was recruited as a running back but only had one FBS offer (Boston College), according to his recruiting profiles. He redshirted at Howard in 2024 before coming onto the scene with 34 tackles, eight pass breakups, and an interception in 2025.

Highest forced incompletion %, MEAC CBs:

Jarod Washington, South Carolina State: 26.2%
Jahzir Dukes, North Carolina Central: 25.0%
Zuri Watson, Howard: 21.9%
Wayne Favors III, Delaware State: 13.3%
Anthony Bivines, Howard: 12.5%
Joshua Narh, Morgan State: 12.1%
Makai Frisby,… pic.twitter.com/pdXZNgVC6n

— Cam Mellor (@CamMellor) December 29, 2025

The good news about his inexperience is that he has three years of eligibility remaining, and at 6-foot-1, 175 lbs, he has the frame to turn into a prototypical standout corner if he adds some muscle to take on bigger receivers. The other additions Arizona made will likely hold him out of the starting lineup at first, but he'll see the field more and more as he develops.

Why the Secondary was a Big Offseason Need

The Wildcats were going to face challenges rebuilding their secondary. After all, four of the team's defensive backs were named All-Big 12 players for their contributions in 2025, and at least three of them will participate in college all-star games over the next month in the hopes of impressing NFL teams and scouts.

Nov 22, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats defensive back Genesis Smith (12) against the Baylor Bears at Casino Del Sol Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Genesis Smith and Treydan Stukes will be playing at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., while Dalton Johnson will play in the East-West Shrine Bowl in Frisco, Tex. Smith is the highest-rated prospect from the Wildcats' secondary and may even sneak into the first round of April's draft. Stukes and Johnson will try to increase their stock as the offseason progresses.

Additionally, Arizona only has two defensive backs signed in its 2026 recruiting class, four-star cornerback Xaier Hiter and three-star safety Hannibal Carter Navies. Regardless, losing that many players of NFL caliber, plus additional depth players due to eligibility and graduation, was going to be one of Arizona's biggest challenges. It's still going to be an uphill battle at the start, but at least the Wildcats will have some experienced players coming in from the transfer portal to help out.