TEMPE — Less than two weeks remain until the Arizona State Sun Devils see at least four players selected in the 2026 NFL draft – the anticipation has truly reached a fever pitch amongst the fanbase as of late.

Arizona State’s rapid rise from a struggling program into a truly respected destination for player development under Kenny Dillingham has been awe-inspiring, though the top prospects out of the program took paths to this point that are now uncommon in the sport’s current landscape.

Jordyn Tyson

Tyson began his career with the Colorado Buffaloes – serving as one of the lone bright spots in their 2022 season. However, a knee injury and a coaching change led Tyson to move to Arizona State during the spring of 2023.

While Tyson was a four-star prospect in the transfer portal, he remained slightly unheralded as the 20th-ranked player at the position in that cycle. The Texas native worked for months on end to return from the injury and saw his fortunes change for the better when Hines Ward was hired as wide receivers coach in April of 2024.

Ward played an instrumental role in Tyson making a statement during his All-Big 12 season in 2024, as the then redshirt sophomore showed refinement as a route runner, was exceptional as a run blocker on the outside, and consistently displayed football IQ that transcends what is typically seen from a young wideout.

Now, Tyson is projected to be a first-round selection in less than two weeks and is very likely to be the vessel that turns Arizona State into a reliable producer of elite wide receivers at the NFL level.

Keith Abney II

Abney was a three-year member of the Arizona State program after flipping his commitment from Utah State to ASU very late in the recruiting process (December 2022). He played sparingly early on as a freshman before seeing an uptick in snap share as the season progressed.

The three-star recruit was always seen as slightly undersized as a boundary player, but Abney’s work ethic, as well as exceptional coaching from CB coach Bryan Carrington, led to a 2024 season viewed as a quality showing from start to finish.

Abney capped off his career with an elite 2025 season that is one of the best individual seasons for a defender at ASU since Will Sutton in 2023. Hard work, incredible coaching, and being patient in the process have resulted in Abney now being a projected day two pick in the draft – he’s surely not the last standout at cornerback to be in this position moving into the future.

Max Iheanachor

Iheanachor’s journey from transitioning from playing soccer to football is truly incredible. The native of Nigeria began his football career in 2021 at the junior college level before joining Arizona State in 2023.

OL coach Saga Tuitele took a similar approach to Iheanachor’s development as the program did with Abney – the result was undoubtedly positive, as the 6’5″ tackle starred at right tackle in the 2024 season and took 484 snaps in 2025 without allowing a single sack. This is simply a reflection on the development process paying dividends in a brief period of time, and now Iheanachor is poised to be the first of many lineman prospects that Tuitele cultivates into an NFL player.

Keyshaun Elliott

Elliott has been underrated his entire football career, as he joined New Mexico State in 2022 as a two-star recruit before transferring to Arizona State following his sophomore season.

Elliott transformed from a high-volume tackler into an all-around stud at the position that paced the team in sacks in 2025 under the leadership of A.J. Cooper. Elliott was truly one of the most cerebral players at the off-ball linebacker spot in Tempe since Merlin Robertson, and is now slated to build a lengthy NFL career off of being a diverse player who is just as strong a leader.

Players such as Owen Long, Martell Hughes, and even Isaiah Iosefa are in position to extend Cooper’s track record as a talent developer – this fits a consistent mold that has taken shape at ASU under Dillingham.

Before the season, Big 12 coaches predicted TCU would win the conference with Arizona finishing second. Neither team has lived up to those expectations so far, but for one night the Wildcats looked the part of a contender.

The UA won 4-3 at TCU on Friday night in the opener of a 3-game series, only the second time in Big 12 play it has started off a weekend with a win. And combined with Wednesday’s victory over New Mexico State gives the Wildcats (12-21, 4-9) their first consecutive wins since mid-March

A sacrifice fly by Maddox Mihalakis scored pinch runner TJ Adams in the top of the 9th, then in the bottom of the inning Garrett Hicks stranded the tying run at third base and the winning run at second with a strikeout.

Mihalakis drove in two runs, as did No. 9 hitter Mathis Meurant, while Tony Lira was 4 for 5 for Arizona, which led 3-1 before TCU (20-13, 7-6).

Those tying runs came against starter Owen Kramkowski, who had one of his best starts of the season. The junior right-hander struck out nine and didn’t allow a walk over 6.2 innings, retiring 12 in a row at one point before the Horned Frogs recorded four hits in the 7th including back-to-back run-scoring singles with two out.

Maclain Roberts finished out the 7th and then threw a scoreless 8th to get the win, then Hicks picked up his fourth save.

Arizona and TCU will play a doubleheader on Saturday, beginning at 12 p.m. PT, a change in the schedule due to rain in the forecast on Sunday. One win will give the Wildcats their first Big 12 series win this season.

• The Arizona House of Representatives and state Senate declared April 9 as “Arizona Wildcats Day.”
• The state honored the UA men’s basketball team for its Final Four season and 36-win record.
• Coach Tommy Lloyd thanked state legislators for their support, calling them the team’s “biggest supporters.”

After soaking up appreciation from Tucson fans for their Final Four appearance last weekend, the Arizona Wildcats received some statewide love this week.

On Thursday, April 9, the Arizona House of Representatives and state Senate both proclaimed April 9, “Arizona Wildcats Day,” honoring the UA men’s basketball team for its Final Four season.

The Wildcats then attended a UA luncheon in Scottsdale where they met with fans and school officials, all celebrating their 36-win record, Big 12 title and NCAA Tournament achievements.

The Wildcats wore gray UA basketball polo shirts and rode a bus to Phoenix that morning, appearing first on the House of Representatives floor, where they were greeted with cheers and praise from Speaker Steve Montenegro.

“This year’s squad brought the magic back in a way that unified fans across the entire state in just a short period of time,” Montenegro said. “They have represented our university and our state with heart, with discipline and with class, both on and off the court.

“I know that everyone in this chamber, and especially Wildcat fans across Arizona, share my excitement that coach Lloyd and the team is here, and they are here to stay with his vision and the culture that he’s building.”

While saying that “you guys have got a lot more important work to take care of than honoring us,” Tommy Lloyd then thanked the legislators for their support.

“We understand that you guys are truly our biggest supporters, and we know there’s boosters, there’s businesses, all those things involved,” Lloyd said. “We also understand the state of Arizona is behind everything we do, and you guys are truly our biggest donors and our biggest supporters.

“So we thank you for everything. It’s an honor to represent you guys, and you’re right, Steve, this is just the beginning. We look forward to recreating this and doing this again, and without your support, that wouldn’t be possible.”

The Arizona Senate followed with a similar proclamation, noting the Wildcats’ Big 12 regular-season and tournament titles, 36 wins and Final Four appearance — and “the national recognition it brings to our state.”

After the Senate proclamation, Senate President Warren Petersen asked Lloyd what the secret was behind why Arizona always had “awesome basketball teams.”

“I think it’s simple, because it’s something that was built before all of us came,” Lloyd said. “Coach (Fred) Snowden, coach (Lute) Olson, these guys did an amazing job building the foundation for a program that became a national program and had a ton of success.

“Coach (Sean) Miller continued to build on it. We’re fortunate for those that came before us, and we have an amazing tradition, history and a legacy.

“And we want to thank you guys, because to be honest with you, the government is our biggest supporter. We’re a state institution, and the investment you make in the University of Arizona allows us to do what we do. So we’re thankful for everyone that gets behind our program and supports it and helps us continue to build on this tradition and legacy.”

Rim shots

– Departing senior guard Jaden Bradley posted a formal thanks to UA coaches, players and fans on social media, announcing he is declaring for the NBA draft (regardless of any potential rule changes that might allow for more eligibility). “This journey has meant everything to me,” Bradley posted. “It (has) been a rollercoaster but I’ve grown, matured, and become a better man because of it.”

– Reports surfaced on April 9 that transferring Oregon guard Jackson Shelstad has canceled a planned visit to Arizona early next week. Three 247 staffers have posted predictions that he would pick Louisville, where he was scheduled to visit this weekend.