Arizona lands former BYU lineman in transfer portal

Jake Griffin will play for Arizona in 2026

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 Wildcats have beefed up their offensive line with key acquisitions in the transfer portal, with BYU transfer Jake Griffin being the latest to join the team. 

Griffin, a redshirt sophomore, is a native of Mesa, Arizona, and will now be returning home to join head coach Brent Brennan’s program, and improve Arizona’s offensive line. Griffin was previously recruited out of high school by Arizona in 2020, but opted to go to BYU instead, but not after taking two years off from football to be a full-time missionary in South Africa. 

Sep 14, 2024; Laramie, Wyoming, USA; A general view of the Brigham Young Cougars helmet against the Wyoming Cowboys during the second quarter at Jonah Field at War Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Babbitt-Imagn Images | Troy Babbitt-Imagn Images

Starting experience

Upon his return from his football hiatus, Griffin would join the Cougars in 2023, and redshirt his freshman season. Griffin wouldn’t see any action as a redshirt freshman, before becoming a starter on BYU’s offensive line in 2025. He played in 10 games for the Cougars this season, and was a key factor in their strong season that ended with a win in the Pop-Tarts Bowl. 

Before landing at BYU, Griffin was a consensus three-star recruit in high school, while also playing both defense and offense. On defense, Griffin racked up 71 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, and one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in his junior and senior seasons. 

Griffin will now join a revamped offensive line for the Wildcats in 2026. Arizona has been hit hard by the transfer portal on the front lines, seeing the loss of Jordan Brown, Siale Uluave, and Michael Wooten this offseason. In total, the Wildcats have seen 17 players from last season’s team opt to hit the transfer portal. 

Oct 12, 2024; Provo, Utah, USA; The Arizona Wildcats defense lines up against the Brigham Young Cougars offense during the second quarter at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Silver lining

On the bright side for Arizona, they’ll be retaining star quarterback Noah Fifita, who threw for 3,228 yards with 29 touchdowns and 6 interceptions last season. Fifita has helped lead the Wildcats to 9-win seasons in two of the last three seasons, and he’ll be looking to help bring the Wildcats to a Big 12 title in 2026 with Griffin, and the other offensive linemen transfers protecting him. 

Nov 28, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats quarterback Noah Fifita (1) after defeating the Arizona State Sun Devils in the 99th Territorial Cup at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

With a strong offseason full of high-impact transfers, the Wildcats should once again enjoy a strong season in 2026, provided all the pieces actually come together. 2025 proved to be an impressive season for Arizona, finishing 9-4, making it to the Holiday Bowl, and finishing the season ranked #17 in the AP Poll. Next season, they’ll look to take it a step further as they compete for a spot in the College Football Playoff field in 2026. 

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