Nick Foles attempts one of his 15 passes at the Senior Bowl. Photo by Chuck Cook-US PRESSWIRE

Three former Arizona Wildcats have been officially invited to the NFL Combine: Quarterback Nick Foles, wide receiver Juron Criner and cornerback Trevin Wade.

Those three were on an initial list last month, but no other ex-Cat was included in the final list of 328 draft prospects. Six former Arizona State players are on the list.

Criner helped himself at workouts for the Senior Bowl last month, likely moving into the second- or third-round range. A good time in the 40-yard dash would improve or further second his place as a top 100 pick.

Foles received mixed reviews for his week at the Senior Bowl, although he played well in the game, including a touchdown pass to Criner. Foles can use the Combine — held Feb. 22-28 in Indianapolis — to separate from a pack of “second-tier” quarterbacks behind Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III and, perhaps, Ryan Tannehill.

Wade, a second-team All-Pac-12 selection as a senior, is generally seen as a late-round pick (perhaps middle-round pick, if all goes well).

“The reality is he played better as a senior than he did as a junior, and scouts are looking for that,” NFLDraftScout.com senior writer Rob Rang told me last month. “Scouts are looking for that mental toughness to come back after a tough year.”

Arizona’s next-best draft prospect likely is defensive back Robert Golden, who recently did a Q&A with New Era Scouting. NFLDraftScout.com rates Golden as a seventh-round or free agent prospect.

Nick Foles attempts one of his 15 passes at the Senior Bowl. Photo by Chuck Cook-US PRESSWIRE

Former Arizona Wildcats Nick Foles and Juron Criner showed in the Senior Bowl what UA fans saw many times in the past few years — a touchdown connection.

Foles’ 20-yard pass down the middle to Criner, just over the goal line, gave the South team its only touchdown in Saturday’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. The North won 23-13.

Foles completed 11 of 15 passes for 136 yards and a touchdowns. None of his attempts were intercepted. Criner caught six passes for 77 yards.

The next big event for each is the NFL Combine from Feb. 22-28 in Indianapolis.

Foles tied the UA record for career passing touchdowns with 67 in his three-year career. Criner set the school record with 32 touchdown receptions — all but one came in the past three seasons.

Here are stories I wrote about each after their week of practice in front of scouts:

Foles: Lukewarm reviews at Senior Bowl

Criner: Draft stock rising

Nick Foles (left) and Juron Criner might be celebrating again as South teammates at the Senior Bowl on Saturday. Photo by Chris Morrison-US PRESSWIRE

Former Arizona Wildcats receiver Juron Criner boosted his draft stock during the week of Senior Bowl practices — not just for making the kind of difficult catches UA fans fondly recall but for quieting some of chatter about him off the field.

“I was impressed by Criner,” said NFLDraftScout.com senior analyst Rob Rang.

“I thought he had a heck of an opportunity here, and I never saw him drop a ball. I saw him make some spectacular plays. I don’t know if I would say he was the best receiver there, but he would definitely be in the conversation.”

Criner’s draft stock took a hit in the preseason when a report surfaced in the summer that his 2011 season was in jeopardy for “undisclosed medical reasons.” That the UA didn’t immediately comment made it all the more mysterious.

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This catch, resulting in a touchdown, was one of Juron Criner's best from his senior year. Photo by Chris Morrison-US PRESSWIRE

Former Arizona Wildcats receiver Juron Criner has accepted an invitation to the Senior Bowl — one more chance to catch passes from Nick Foles.

Those two will be together on the South squad for the Jan. 28 game, marking the first time since 2003 that two UA players will be at the Senior Bowl. The Arizona players in the 2003 game were linebacker Lance Briggs and receiver Bobby Wade.

“Juron is a big target and a guy who can really stretch the field,” Senior Bowl President and CEO Steve Hale said in a statement. “We’re excited about watching him team up with Nick one final time here next week at the Senior Bowl.”

The draft projections for Criner have been all over the map, from a late first-rounder to a guy who might not get drafted. Somewhere in between is, of course, reasonable.

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Nick Foles will show off his arm at the NFL Combine. Photo by Chris Morrison, US-PRESSWIRE

Three former Arizona players have been invited to the NFL Scouting Combine, according to an initial list compiled by NFLDraftScout.com.

They are quarterback Nick Foles, wide receiver Juron Criner and cornerback Trevin Wade.

More invitations could be coming for former Arizona players.

Foles, who will play in the Senior Bowl (reported here first by TucsonCitizen.com), is in contention to be the third quarterback selected in the draft after Stanford’s Andrew Luck and Baylor’s Robert Griffin III.

Criner has not been announced as a participant in any of the four postseason all-star games. Wade will play in the East-West Shrine Game on Jan. 21.

Seven former Wildcats will play in the Casino Del Sol College All-Star Game, which will be held Monday at Kino Stadium. They are: receiver Gino Crump, fullback David Hill, defensive back Robert Golden, linebackers Paul Vassallo and Derek Earls, and defensive end Mohammed Usman and C.J. Parish.

The NFL Combine will be held Feb. 22-28 in Indianapolis.

Trevin Wade broke up 13 passes this season. Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Nick Foles is the Arizona Wildcats’ top draft prospect, a possible top 50 pick, probably the third or best fourth quarterback available.

Opinions vary on ex-Cat receiver Juron Criner, who has size and a history of big plays, but he perhaps lack desired NFL speed … and he will be scrutinized for being away from the team last summer for what were described as “personal and family matters.”

Then, there is cornerback Trevin Wade.

Wade is a solid draft prospect who will enter the scouting season as a mid- to late-round pick.

“I would characterize him as a day three pick, somewhere in rounds four through seven,” said Rob Rang, senior analyst for NFLDraftScout.com.

“It’s going to come down to workouts. If he runs in the 4.4s, considering how well he has played, that really helps him. The reality is he played better as a senior than he did as a junior, and scouts are looking for that.

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Arizona celebrates at Sun Devil Stadium after beating ASU 31-27. Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

The Cup? Where’s the Cup?

The Arizona Wildcats were in their locker room, being so loud that nobody could hear themselves think. Not that they wanted to. They wanted to feel, to soak up a 31-27 come-from-behind victory against rival Arizona State that, at least partially, erased the frustration of a disappointing season.

The Wildcats, with their voices reverberating in the locker room and into the hallway, roared a version of “Bear Down.”

Twice.

“We’ve never done that before,” said receiver Juron Criner.

But where was the Territorial Cup? Arizona State officials couldn’t find it.

The Wildcats had already celebrated on the field, running all over Sun Devil Stadium, after cornerback Shaquille Richardson broke up a pass to receiver Mike Willie in the end zone on the final play of the game.

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Arizona quarterback Nick Foles will be trying to solve an ASU defense that has mostly held him in check in the past two seasons. Photo by Chris Morrison-US PRESSWIRE

Five Sun Devils to watch

It only takes one play to be a rivalry hero for a lifetime.

Some in the Arizona-ASU duels have been stars who only added to their legend — Chuck Cecil, John Jefferson, Max Zendejas, Byron Evans.

Others had shining moments impossible to forget: James Debow’s goal-line stuff of ASU running back Channing Williams in 1986, Kevin Galbreath’s 51-yard touchdown run for a 7-6 ASU win in 1992, Brian Holland’s 92-yard touchdown reception in 1982.

Who is it going to be this season?

Anyone?

Here’s a look at five Arizona players who can make a difference Saturday night at Sun Devil Stadium.

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This beautiful catch is one of Juron Criner's eight TD receptions this season. Photo by Chris Morrison-US PRESSWIRE

The up-and-down season of Arizona senior receiver Juron Criner has taken another dip.

Heading into last Saturday’s home game against Utah, Criner had compiled 21 catches for 219 yards and five touchdowns in the previous two games. That marked his most catches ever in back-to-back games. Wide receivers coach Dave Nichol said Criner was as healthy as he had been all season.

But Criner, who missed almost all of the Oregon State game on Oct. 8 because of a first-quarter knee injury, finished with only three catches for 48 yards against the Utes, and he wasn’t out there at the end of the game.

Interim coach Tim Kish said Monday he thinks the knee is “tender” to Criner.

“He’s trying to go and he’s trying to give it his best effort,” Kish said. “I think Juron, if he’s not 100 percent, doesn’t want to be out on the field sometimes.”

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Nick Foles threw two costly interceptions against Utah. Photo by Chris Morrison-US PRESSWIRE

Arizona drops to 2-7 with the 34-21 loss to Utah and can’t be bowl eligible. That ends Arizona’s three-year postseason streak, which was tied for the longest in school history.

Only one other team in the Pac-10 had been to the postseason in each of the past three seasons — Oregon.

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Sophomore Daniel Jenkins comes up with a nifty 29-yard touchdown run in the final minute, changing directions, making quick cuts and tightroping the right sideline for the final few yards.

The future of the running back position looks solid with Ka’Deem Carey, Jenkins, Taimi Tutogi and Greg Nwoko coming back from a knee injury next season.

Arizona is down 34-21 with 23 seconds left.

* * *

Utah scores after the interception on an 11-yard rush by John White. The Utes put this one away, leading 34-14 with 2:50 to play.

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Nick Foles throws a costly interception when Arizona had first-and-goal from the 2. Foles tries to hit Austin Hill in the right side of the end zone, but perhaps the two weren’t on the same page.

A play earlier they had tried to connect on a fade pass into the corner. This time, Foles put the pass on a line, and Utah’s Conroy Black was able to step in front of it to make the interception.

He had a lot of green grass ahead of him, but running back Ka’Deem Carey was part of a group that chased him down and forced him to change course. He ended up with a 57-yard return.

That looks like it was Arizona’s last, best chance.

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