It's the middle of summer, which means it's the time of year for preseason honors and watch lists leading up to the college football season. Â
Phil Steele Magazine, an annual college football preview publication that rates and ranks teams and players across the nation each summer in the lead-up to the new season, named three Wildcats as preseason All-Americans. The Wildcats included: first-team selection and star wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan. Linebacker Jacob Manu and cornerback Tacario Davis were named third-team All-Americans.Â
McMillan, right tackle Jonah Savaiinaea and kicker Tyler Loop were named to Phil Steele Magazine's All-Big 12 First Team, while Davis was a second-team choice. Quarterback Noah Fifita, center Josh Baker and defensive back Treydan Stukes were named third-team selections. Â
McMillan, who is the highest-rated signee in Arizona football history in the modern recruiting era, will enter his third season as a mainstay in Arizona's offense.Â
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McMillan ended his sophomore campaign with the second-most receiving yards (1,402) in a season by a UA receiver. McMillan’s career-high happened in the 2023 Territorial Cup game, an 11-catch, 266-yard, one-touchdown performance in a 36-point win over Arizona State. McMillan was a second-team All-Pac-12 selection and received third-team Associated Press All-American honors.
Manu led the Pac-12 in tackles (116) and was named to the All-Pac-12 First Team and Associated Press All-Pac-12 First Team. Manu was the first Wildcat to lead the Pac-12 in tackles since Scooby Wright III in 2014.Â
Last season, the 6-4, 195-pound Davis grew into one of the top defensive backs nationally after leading the Pac-12 in pass breakups (16) and received an 87.5 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus.
Arizona kicks off the 2024 season at home against New Mexico on Aug. 31 at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN.Â
Extra points
• rated Arizona's defensive secondary as the 10th-best in college football behind Ohio State, Iowa, Notre Dame, Michigan, Oregon, Texas, Georgia, Wisconsin and Oklahoma. Arizona is the only Big 12 team on PFF's list of top secondaries.Â
• as one of the four most underrated teams entering the season, along with Georgia Tech, Indiana and Kansas.Â
• , a transfer from Syracuse, as the seventh-best defensive tackle in the Big 12 (74.3).Â
Contact Justin Spears, the Star's Arizona football beat reporter, at jspears@tucson.com. On X(Twitter): @JustinESports
Justin Spears
Sports Reporter
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