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Unknown date; Palo Alto, CA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Arizona Wildcats defensive end Tedy Bruschi (68) in action against the Stanford Cardinal at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Imagn Images RVR Photos-Imagn Images

Arizona Football Top Five Defensive Players

Originally posted on Arizona Wildcats on SI
By Troy Hutchison | Last updated Jul 27, 2025 12:00 PM ET

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 and now that we are done with each position we will be breaking down the best defensive players in Arizona football history.

5. Byron Evans (1983-86)

When talking about Arizona football in the 80s one of the first names that comes to mind was linebacker Byron Evans, who was a recruit out of South Mountain High School in Phoenix and wasn’t even recruited by ASU.

Evans is second all-time in career tackles with 552 recorded for an average of 138 tackles per season. The most in a single season came in 1986 where he racked up 196 tackles.

During his career, Evans was a four-year letterman that was named first team All-Pac-10 in 1985 and 1986. In his senior season, he was named the team’s Most Valuable Player and Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year.

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

Bob Deutsch-Imagn Images

3. Chuck Cecil (1984-87)

When talking about the greatest Arizona players of all-time and not just at a single position, the name Chuck Cecil is always brought up and must come about, or it's just not an accurate conversation.

The College Football Hall of Fame player was the face of the program known for his gritty play and hardnose hitting. Cecil was a two-time Jim Thorpe Award finalist,a two-time All-Pac-10 First Team player, the 1987 Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year winner, an All-American the same year.

The list goes on and on with his honors, awards and accomplishments.

Cecil managed to record a program-record 21 career interceptions to go along with 38 pass breakups and 392 total tackles. His legacy moment came against in-state rival ASU where he picked off Jeff Van Raaphorst for a 106-yard touchdown return, which still stands as a school record.

2. Ricky Hunley (1980-83)

If Evans was a name that people needed to know in the 80s in Tucson, linebacker Ricky Hunley was the face of Arizona football and you could argue as the greatest player in the history of the program.

The four-year letterman Hunley recorded a program-record 566 tackles averaging 141 ½ tackles each year. His best season came in 1983 where he collected 176 tackles.

In his career, Hunley snagged 12 interceptions. He was a three-time All-Pac-10 selection, two-time All-American and was Co-Defensive Player of the Year during the 1983 season with Cal linebacker Ron Rivera.

1. Tedy Bruschi (1992-95)

The heart and soul of the ‘Desert Swarm’ defense was edge rusher Tedy Bruschi, who became the face of Arizona football with his 90s mullet and blue collar style of play that was the leading force for the defensive unit.

Bruschi is near the tops in NCAA history when it comes to sacks with 52 which is over double the amount of sacks ahead of the second spot in program history. He was also a two time All-American during the 1994 and 1995 seasons.

This article first appeared on Arizona Wildcats on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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