By Daniel Rios (AKA Daniel the Draftnick)
There’s a lot of hype around the 2027 NFL Draft with national stars like Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith and Notre Dame’s Leonard Moore leading the class.
Arizona and Arizona State had plenty of talent in this past draft class. With players like Jordyn Tyson, Treydan Stukes and Max Iheanchor getting drafted, it begs the question. Who are the players fans should keep an eye on in the desert for this season?
While at the moment, there may not be anyone as hyped up as Tyson was last season. Arizona State has a couple of receivers who could break into that Round 1 conversation with quality play in 2026. For Arizona, it’s all about the quarterback with some interesting athletes littered throughout the rest of the roster.
Here are the draft prospects you need to know about for Arizona and Arizona State.
Arizona State Sun Devils
Omarion Miller – Wide Receiver
When you think of Arizona State draft prospects, this is the first player that pops into your head. It’ll be hard to fill the role Tyson left behind, but Omarion Miller can with the tape he had at Colorado.
Miller is 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds with a lengthy frame on the outside. He’s more of a strider on the outside and thrives when he has to track the ball down the field. His ability to get underneath balls was crazy to watch at Colorado last season, and he has the versatility to line up in the slot or outside.
The main issue with Miller is consistency. He flashes greatness often, but has to refine his route-running to become open more often and in the shorter areas of the field. Sun Devils wide receiver coach Hines Ward can certainly help with that, making Miller the most intriguing player on this list.
C.J. Fite – Defensive Tackle
C.J Fite is the epitome of a run-stuffing defensive tackle. He won’t offer much in the pass-rush game, but his ability to be stout in the middle is the reason he’ll get NFL attention in 2026. While he may not be an explosive pass rusher, he still executes stunts and maintains pocket integrity at an elite level. 
At 6-foot-2 and 310 pounds, Fite has been with Arizona State for his entire collegiate career. He’s in line to start again for the Sun Devils, and if he can garner more explosiveness in the pass-rush game, Fite will hear his name called next April.
Jalen Thompson – EDGE
Arizona State needed to replenish its edge rusher room this offseason and did so in the transfer portal. One of those players is Jalen Thompson from Michigan State. Thompson is 6-foot-3 and 265 pounds, having good size for an edge if he were to make the jump into the NFL.
In 2025, he recorded 20 total pressures for two sacks and 18 run-stop tackles. He was a primary starter for the Spartans last season, and just needs to find more consistency in his pass-rush game. Thopmason hopes he can find that with the Sun Devils, and if he can, he’ll find himself in the NFL Draft.
Reed Harris – Wide Receiver
6-foot-5 and 220 pounds. That’s why Reed Harris is on this list. We have some freaks at the receiver position in this year’s draft class, and Rutgers’ KJ Duff (6-foot-6, 225 pounds) is another player who shares the same measurables.
Every time you see a height and weight like that, the ears perk up, but when watching the tape, reality strikes. Harris transferred in from Boston College and had 673 yards and five touchdowns. He was targeted 72 times last season, bringing in 39. The kicker is that 13 of his 39 catches were contested. Meaning out of 72 targets, 26 were receptions made without being over a defender.
Harris will get attention for his height, but he has to be more precise and elusive with his footwork. If he can, Arizona State will have two exciting weapons on the offensive side of the ball in 2026.
Arizona Wildcats
Noah Fifita – Quarterback
Noah Fifita has been the quarterback for Arizona since the 2023 season, when he won Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year. There was excitement surrounding his game going into 2024, but he didn’t quite live up to that. 2025, he bounced back, but more under the radar.
Fifita threw for 3,228 yards and 29 touchdowns. Those 29 touchdowns set a program record, and with it he earned First Team All-Big 12 and AP First Team All-Big 12 honors. No one really talked bout him throughout the summer due to quarterbacks like Arch Manning, Dante Moore and Darian Mensah getting a lot of attention.
Another limiting factor to him getting attention is the height. Fifita is listed at 5-foot-10 and 189 pounds, but is probably closer to 5-foot-9. That’s under the NFL’s threshold to play quarterback, which gives Fifita an uphill battle to climb. He has all the tools as a pocket passer to get onto NFL radars; he’ll just have to have another productive season for Arizona.
Jay’Vion Cole – Cornerback
Jay’Vion Cole was originally a two-star recruit coming out of high school and committed to Cal Poly out of the gate. He led the team with four interceptions in 2022, and in that offseason transferred to San Jose State. While he was there, he recorded 13 pass deflections and 3 interceptions, which generated significant interest in the transfer portal.
Cole used two productive seasons to make the jump to the Power 4, transferring to Texas, where he’d played one season before coming to Arizona in 2025.
In 2025, Cole earned Third Team All-Big 12 after leading the team with four interceptions. If one thing’s clear, Cole has tremendous ball skills when you watch him. His ball production isn’t just luck. He’s on the smaller side, being 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds, but has shown in his college career he can line up on the outside.
Taye Brown – Linebacker
Taye Brown is familiar with the desert. He played his high school ball at Hamilton right here in Arizona. He’s been with Arizona for the entirety of his collegiate career and has only gotten better over the years.
Brown is listed at 6-foot-2 and 226 pounds, putting him in the eighth percentile when it comes to linebackers’ weight. That’ll be the main hill he’ll have to climb trying to make it to the NFL, but his production is there. Brown had 93 total tackles last season, earning Third Team All-Big 12 honors.
In 2026, he’s set to start again, and another productive season will put him on NFL team radars. We’ve seen the NFL over the years draft smaller linebackers and find roles for them on the field. Brown can be next in line.
Tristan Bounds – Offensive tackle
This one is more of a projection based on the measurables. Midway through the 2025 season, Tristan Bounds took over the starting right tackle job for Arizona. He stands at 6-foot-8 and 317 pounds, giving him the size NFL teams look for in tackles. He suffered a season-ending injury 10 games into his first full seaosn as a college starter and was granted a sixth year of eligibility earlier this year.
Bounds started his career at Michigan and appeared in seven games over four seasons. He transferred to Arizona before the 2025 season and showed coaches he can play. Bounds gave up 13 total pressures in 372 pass-blocking snaps. He’ll be a big factor for the Wildcat offense.
Tre Smith – EDGE
Tre Smith had a season similar to Bounds’ in 2025. Season-ending injury. Smith was shut down after four games to surgically repair his shoulder. In 2026, Arizona will get back its pass rusher, who stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 265 pounds.
Smith has been productive when he’s on the field. In 2023, at San Jose State, he finished with 47 total pressures, 31 run-stop tackles and eight sacks. In his first season at Arizona in 2024, he recorded 38 total pressures, 29 run-stop tackles, and 5 sacks. He can play; it’s just about staying on the field.
If Smith can show he can be impactful on all three stages of the game again in 2026, he should get NFL attention next spring.
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