Arizona Targeting Big Ten Transfer Portal Wide Receiver
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Arizona and head coach Brent Brennan haven’t been highly active in the first few days of the 2026 transfer portal window, as they are still awaiting their first commitment, but they have been making progress with several of their top targets.
One position the Wildcats needed to address heading into the portal was wide receiver, and they have reportedly been in contact with a former Minnesota pass catcher.
Arizona in Contact With Minnesota Transfer Wide Reciever
Entering the 2026 transfer portal window, Arizona made bringing in a top-tier wide receiver a priority. The Wildcats are losing a significant amount of production at the position from 2025 to 2026, and to keep the passing attack strong next season, they will need to surround quarterback Noah Fifita with reliable weapons.
The good news for Arizona is that there are several talented wide receivers available in the portal, and according to “JGPCFB” on X, the Wildcats are one of 16 programs that have been in contact with Purdue transfer Arhmad Branch so far.
Branch was a three-star recruit in the 2023 recruiting class from Festus High School in Festus, Missouri. He didn’t receive much Power Four interest and ultimately committed to and signed with Purdue.
Former Purdue Wide Receiver Arhmad Branch has been in contact with these 16 Schools since entering the Transfer Portal, he tells me.
— JGPCFB (@jgpvisuals) January 4, 2026
Branch totaled 14 Receptions for 212 Yards & 2 TDs for the Boilermakers in 2025 & is a former 4-Star Recruit in the 2023 class.
Where should he… pic.twitter.com/4bcwR2pCkO
He’s spent the last three seasons with the Boilmakers but didn’t see significant playing time until his redshirt sophomore season in 2025, recording 14 catches for 212 yards and two touchdowns. He has two years of eligibility remaining and would likely be able to make an immediate impact for Arizona’s offense in 2026.
As of now, Branch hasn’t scheduled any official visits, so his recruitment remains wide open. Although Arizona hasn’t made significant progress with the Purdue transfer yet, Brennan and his staff should work to get him on campus in Tucson in the coming days.
If Arizona lands Branch, he’d be a massive addition to the Wildcats' wide receiver room for next season. 247Sports’ transfer portal rankings list him as a three-star prospect, the No. 144 overall player in the portal, and the No. 35 wide receiver.
Throughout the early stages of the portal window, Arizona has been relatively quiet. However, as more players find homes, the Wildcats will need to move quickly to address their roster’s biggest holes before all the available talent is gone.
Branch should be a player Arizona prioritizes in the coming days, as he would be a plug-and-play starter for the program next season.
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Max Doresy serves as the Western United States College Recruiting Beat Writer On SI. He graduated from the prestigious Syracuse University – S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. Before that, he worked for the Pro Football Network and was part of the recruiting department for Syracuse University's football program.
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