Arizona State Continues to Trend for Former Professional Basketball Player

Since the conclusion of the Early National Signing Period for the 2026 class, Arizona State and head coach Kenny Dillingham have shifted their focus to the upcoming January transfer portal window and the 2027 recruiting cycle. However, the Sun Devils are still monitoring a few 2026 prospects as the cycle winds down.

One of those prospects is a tight end recruit who was a professional basketball player from New Zealand, and it appears the Sun Devils are still in strong contention for him as he nears a decision.

Arizona State Making Progress With 2026 Tight End Prospect

On Nov. 2, Arizona State on SI reported that the Sun Devils had extended an offer to Nathaniel Salmon, a former professional basketball player in New Zealand who came to the U.S. at the start of his career to pursue a football career.

ASU helme — Oct 11, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; A general view of the helmet worn by the Arizona State Sun Devils during the game against the Utah Utes at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Salmon's journey to becoming a tight end prospect in the 2026 class is a wild one. After years of playing professional basketball in New Zealand and Australia, he was noticed and selected by the NFL's International Player Pathway program.

He moved to the U.S. in early 2025 and began training at IMG Academy, hoping to earn a spot on an NFL roster. He was invited to the Los Angeles Chargers' rookie minicamp last summer but didn't receive a contract from the team. He then shifted his focus to college football.

Oct 18, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils tight end Chamon Metayer (7) against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

After filing a waiver with the NCAA, Salmon was granted eligibility and has since been actively recruited by several schools. The Sun Devils were among the first programs to extend an offer to him, and they hosted him on an official visit (OV) in November.

In addition to his visit with Arizona State, he also took OVs with BYU and Utah in the fall. According to Rivals' Adam Gorney, Salmon plans to visit UNLV and Washington this January and will likely decide between one of those five programs soon after.

ASU Sun Devils head coach Kenny Dillingham yells out to his team as they play against the Houston Cougars at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe on Oct. 25, 2025. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While his recruitment is still wide open, Gorney noted that Salmon was a big fan of Dillingham and Arizona State tight end coach Jason Mohns during his visit to Tempe, which should boost the Sun Devils' chances of landing the young tight end.

Rivals ranks Salmon as a three-star prospect and the No. 34 tight end in the class. He's an interesting prospect, to say the least, but at 6'7" and 270 pounds, he would be an exciting addition to Arizona State's offense.

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