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Arizona’s online roster lists 105 players for the 2026 season, the maximum allowed under roster limits that were put in place a year ago. And a recent change to the NCAA’s eligibility rules is likely to influence how the Wildcats use the youngest players on the roster.
On Tuesday the NCAA Division I cabinet approved a “5 for 5” policy for all student athletes, doing away with redshirts and making everyone eligible to play all five seasons over a 5-year period. The clock begins with the academic year after graduating high school or when they turn 19, whichever comes first.
“I think it’s good,” UA coach Brent Brennansaid earlier this week on the Spears and Ali radio show. “Everything got complicated with the COVID super-seniors and waivers and injuries and all that stuff. The idea of kids getting five (years) to play five (seasons) and let it rip is a good deal.”
Under the old rules, student athletes had five years to play four. For nearly every sport, a single appearance in a competition resulted in a year of eligibility getting used with the exception of football, which allowed for players to appear in up to four games during the regular season as well as all postseason games including conference championships and bowls.
That meant Arizona’s staff had to carefully monitor the usage of some players, particularly freshmen who might not be ready to contribute on a full-time basis. In 2025 the UA had 17 true freshmen appear in at least one game but only six logged time in more than four regular-season games, thus using a year of eligibility. The rest were able to redshirt and now have four years to play four.
“I thought progress was made a few years ago when we got the four games, and they could still redshirt,” Brennan said on Spears and Ali. “That was a good thing for young players and their process of development. Now that they can play the whole season, however that goes, it’s going to be really beneficial. It’s going to benefit us because we are a developmental football program.”
Of Arizona’s freshmen on the 2026 roster, only a couple figure to be instant contributors and some probably won’t be ready to play at all despite the rule change. But for those who do get up to speed before or during the season there won’t be a limit on their usage.
That means the likes of offensive linemen Justin Morales and Malachi Joyner could get snaps late in a game that’s out of hand, while defensive linemen Keytrin Harris and Prince Williams could be part of the rotation up front and talented receivers RJ Mosley and Caleb Smith could be running routes and maybe even catching passes from 4-star quarterback Oscar Rios.
“We love recruiting high school players and helping them grow into great players, great young men and being a part of their process,” Brennan said. “I think there’s value in it.”
The new 5-for-5 rule, which goes into effect with the 2026-27 academic year that begins July 1, also means players going into their senior seasons (who haven’t used a redshirt) have another year after this upcoming one. On Arizona’s roster, that applies to seven players: running back Kedric Reescano, wide receiver Rodney Gallagher III,offensive lineman Isaac Perez, defensive lineman Leroy Palu and linebackers Taye Brown, Cooper Blomstrom and Everett Roussaw Jr.
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