Arizona Football Top Five All-Time Defensive Tackles

Throughout its history, Arizona football has seen many ups and downs with the program making 22 bowl games and recording four 10-win seasons. In 1998, the Wildcats finished with a school-record 12 wins capped off with a 23-20 win over Nebraska.

As the program gears up for its 122nd season with head coach Brent Brennan entering his second season at the helm, we will be ranking the top five players at each position to get you ready for the 2025 season.

As we continue throughout this position process of breaking down the top five players of all-time, we have arrived at interior linemen, which is a deep and rich position filled with high-level talent and players that made it to the next level.

5. Dana Wells (1984-88)

During the late 80s, Arizona’s defensive unit was loaded with talent from top to bottom and one of the most overlooked names is defensive tackle Dana Wells.  During his career, Wells was a two-time winner of the Pac-10’s Morris Trophy as the top defensive linemen in the conference. This was voted on by the offensive linemen in the conference.

In his four seasons with the program, Wells was a two-time first-team All-Pac-10 member during the 1987 and 1988 seasons. In those years, he recorded an incredible 34 ½ tackles for loss.

In 1988, Wells won the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year Award. This made 3-straight years an Arizona player took that award home.

4. Chuck Osborne (1992-95)

Anchoring the middle of the defensive line during the ‘Desert Swarm’ era was defensive tackle Chuck Osborne, who was a four-year letterman playing alongside Tedy Brushci and other stud defenders making for the greatest defense in program history.

Despite being surrounded by star players, Osborne was still a sack machine totaling 21 in his career for tenth most in program history. His best season came in 1994 when he racked up 11 sacks.

3. Jim Hoffman (1991-94)

There is a common theme to these defensive lists and that is members of the ‘Desert Swarm’ defense that was stacked from top to bottom and makes an argument for one of the greatest defensive units in college football.

Another member of the defense was defensive tackle Jim Hoffman, who played on a loaded line and managed to record 22 ½ sacks finishing seventh all-time in program history.

While in Tucson, Hoffman helped the team to go 28-18-1 after having a rough 4-win first season. During that time, the Wildcats won the 1994 Fiesta Bowl 29-0 over powerhouse Miami.

2. Joe Salave’a (1994-97)

A letterman for Arizona in all four seasons, defensive tackle Joe Salave’a was a monster in the middle for the WIldcats’ unit. Salave’a totaled 157 tackles, 43 ½ tackles for loss and 21 1’2 sacks (No. 9).

Salave’a earned a spot on the first team All-Pac-10 team during the 1997 season. Previously, he was a second team selection in 1996 and was on the honorable mention list in 1995. 

Salave’a did this while being named a team captain in 1996.

1. Rob Waldrop (1990-93)

There is no one else that would be at the top of this list besides the one and only College Football Hall of Fame player in defensive tackle Rob Waldrop. One of the heartbeats of the ‘Desert Swarm’ defense, Waldrop was a menace racking up 171 tackles, 45 tackles for loss and 23 ½ sacks, which is fifth most in program history.

For his play, Waldrop won the Outland, Naguski and Bednarik Trophies as a senior during the 1993 season. Meanwhile, he won the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year Award while winning the Morris Trophy.

In all, Waldrop was an two-time All-American that was one of the faces of the Arizona program in the early 90s and helped establish a winning culture.

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