TUCSON, Ariz. - Arizona Football has four players selected in the NFL Draft for the first time since 2008.
It was a banner weekend at the 2025 NFL Draft for the Arizona Wildcats football program, seeing four players selected for the first time since 2008. The Wildcats had four players selected in both the 2007 and 2008 NFL Drafts. The most the program has had picked in one draft was seven in 1987 and 1973.
Tetairoa McMillan was selected 8th overall in the first round by the Carolina Panthers.
Jonah Savaiinaea was picked 37th overall in the second round by the Miami Dolphins.
Tyler Loop was picked in the sixth round by the Baltimore Ravens, and
Jacory Croskey-Merritt was grabbed in the seventh round by the Washington Commanders.
Arizona football had four players picked, marking the most since 2008 when Antoine Cason (1st Rd, San Diego), Spencer Larsen (6th Rd, Denver), Wilrey Fontenot (7th Rd, Atlanta), and Lionel Dotson (7th Rd, Miami) were selected.
NFL Draft Notes
Tetairoa McMillan (1st Round, 8th overall - Carolina Panthers)
- McMillan ties for the second-highest player selected in the NFL Draft in program history with Chris Singleton (8th pick, New England, 1990).
- He falls one spot shy of tying Ricky Hunley for the highest drafted Wildcat in program history (7th overall, Cincinnati, 1984).
- It marks the first time since 1999 and 2000 that the Wildcats have had players selected in the first round in consecutive years (2024 Morgan, 2025 McMillan).
- 12th first-round selection in the NFL Draft in Arizona football history.
- First Arizona player selected by the Carolina Panthers.
Jonah Savaiinaea (2nd Round, 37th overall - Miami Dolphins)
- Savaiinaea joins Jordan Morgan as an offensive lineman from Arizona to be selected in consecutive drafts.
- He is the third Arizona offensive lineman since 2009 to be selected in the NFL Draft.
- Fourth player in program history to be drafted by the Dolphins, joining defensive tackle Lionel Dotson (2008), linebacker Brant Boyer (1994), and running back Greg Boyd (1973).
- It's the first time Arizona has had multiple picks in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft since running back Trung Canidate (St. Louis Rams) and wide receiver Dennis Northcutt (Cleveland Browns) led Arizona's five-player draft class in 2000.
Tyler Loop (6th Round, 186 overall - Baltimore Ravens)
- 2nd kicker selected in the 2025 NFL Draft (6th Rd, Andres Borregales), and he is Arizona's first kicker to be drafted since Nick Folk in 2007.
- First Wildcat selected by the Baltimore Ravens since 1999, when both Chris McAlister (1st, 10th overall) and Edwin Mulitalo (4th, 129th overall) were picked by the Ravens.
- He is just the third Wildcat selected by Baltimore in program history.
- Loop was the 21st kicker selected in the NFL Draft in the last 10 years.
- 4th kicker in program history selected in the NFL Draft.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt (7th Round, 245 overall - Washington Commanders)
- He becomes the first Arizona running back selected in the draft since Gary Brightwell was picked in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the New York Giants (196 overall).
- He is the 11th Wildcat to be selected by Washington in the NFL Draft all time.
- First Wildcat selected by Washington since Kili Lefotu (7th round, 230 overall) in 2006.
Social Media Coverage
