Arizona’s defense has been a huge part of the Wildcats’ turnaround on the football field under head coach Brent Brennan and defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales, becoming one of the top units in the country in 2025.
However, entering the 2026 season, they need to replace many of the leaders, giving a few overlooked players a chance to shine in the national spotlight.
Arizona’s Underrated Defenders
That position group is the Arizona linebacker corps. As the middle of the defense, they’ll be counted on to carry a bigger load as the rest of the defense comes along, and the front seven could be considered the strength of the unit. Yet, the standout players are relatively unknown outside of Tucson.
Taye Brown and Chase Kennedy are the leaders of the group as returning starters. Brown may be one of the most underrated linebackers in the country, making over 160 tackles over the last two seasons and still not becoming a household name. Meanwhile, Kennedy has had the lesser statistical impact of the two, but the coaching staff has raved about his potential stardom…