Rob Gronkowski running after the catch was one of the best parts of the Mike Stoops era. Tucson Citizen photo

Mike Stoops was the football coach of the Arizona Wildcats for 7 1/2 seasons, during which time he brought in some of the program’s all-time brightest stars.

Cornerback Antoine Cason won the 2007 Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back and was a late first-round pick in 2008.

Wide receiver Mike Thomas is the Pac-12 career leader in receptions.

Tight end Rob Gronkowski was a beast — albeit, all too briefly at Arizona — before quickly becoming a star with the New England Patriots.

Senior quarterback Nick Foles is on pace to rewrite several school season and career passing records in the next six week.

There definitely were some high notes, but in putting together an All-Stoops team, a couple of issues emerge — the dearth of standouts on the offensive line and a lack of explosive playmakers at linebacker.

Here is a look at the best who played for Stoops — the All-Stoops team:

QB — Nick Foles
For now, Willie Tuitama has Arizona’s career passing record with 9,211 yards, and his early commitment for Stoops’ 2005 recruiting class was perhaps the first big sign that the program was moving again in the right direction.

But Foles is closing in on Tuitama’s record with 7,931 career yards. If he continues at his pace in the first half of the season (375.8 yards per game), he’ll finish the season with 10,186 yards.

RB — Mike Bell, Nic Grigsby
Stoops inherited Bell, who rushed for a combined 1,896 yards and 10 touchdowns in the coach’s first two seasons at Arizona. Grigsby battled injuries in his final two seasons and wasn’t able to replicate his sophomore season (1,153 yards and 13 touchdowns), but he did finish with 2,957 career rushing yards and 28 rushing touchdowns.

This is Mike Thomas scoring on a punt return vs. Washington in 2008. Photo by Gregory Shamus, Getty Images Sport

WR — Mike Thomas, Juron Criner
Thomas was a contributor from his very first game — seven catches for 92 yards and a touchdown at Utah in 2005 — and never stopped putting up good numbers. By the time his career ended with a catch on the final play of the 2008 Las Vegas Bowl, he had a Pac-12 record 260 catches.

Criner makes the list on the strength of his brilliant junior season (82 catches, 1,233 yards, 11 touchdowns). His 24 receiving touchdowns are tied for second in school history.

TE — Rob Gronkowski
He played in only 22 games at Arizona, sitting out 2009 because of back problems and then leaving for the NFL with two seasons of eligibility remaining, but he holds school season and career records for receptions, yards and touchdowns by a tight end.

Gronkowski, a third-team All-American in 2008, had 75 catches for 1,197 yards and 16 touchdowns in those 22 games. And UA fans will forever wonder if his presence in 2009 could have lifted Arizona past Oregon in a mid-November game. The Ducks won in double overtime, robbing the Cats of the chance to be in the driver’s seat for the Pac-12 title.

OL — Colin Baxter, Eben Britton, Adam Grant, Joe Longacre, Mike Diaz
Baxter, with a school-record 48 consecutive starts, is the clear pick at center. Britton was the only Arizona offensive lineman to earn first-team all-conference honors during the Stoops years.

Grant persevered through injuries and became a second-team all-league choice in 2009 and 2010. Longacre, a guard, provided stability with 40 career starts. Diaz started 20 games after transferring from junior college, the bulk of them at left tackle during 2009.

DL — Brooks Reed, Ricky Elmore, Earl Mitchell, Lionel Dotson
Reed and Elmore were high-energy ends for Stoops’ most recent teams. Elmore had 21.5 sacks in the past two seasons. Reed earned first-team all-conference honors last season and had 17 career sacks.

Mitchell and Dotson are the All-Stoops tackles. Mitchell was an anchor after moving from fullback for his final two seasons and developing into an NFL talent. Dotson’s senior season in 2007 — 50 tackles, including nine for loss and 6.5 sacks — was the best for an Arizona interior defensive lineman in several years.

Spencer Larsen takes on USC's Joe McKnight in a 2007 game. Photo by Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images

LB — Spencer Larsen, Ronnie Palmer, Xavier Kelley
Larsen returned from a two-year church mission after playing as a freshman in 2002 and joined Stoops’ squad for the 2005 season. He made 131 tackles as a senior in an All-Pac-10 season, and his 312 career tackles were the most for a UA player in the decade.

Palmer, who started 41 games, led the Cats in tackles (85) and tackles for loss (11) in 2008.

The third spot is up for debate. Sterling Lewis? Vuna Tuihalamaka? Paul Vassallo? All were junior college transfers. Kelley — undersized but speedy — was a four-year player who was second-team all-league in 2009.

CB — Antoine Cason, Trevin Wade
Cason had 15 career interceptions, with highlight-making returns for touchdowns in a 2006 upset of No. 8 Cal and a 2006 upset of No. 2 Oregon a year later. Wade gets the nod over Wilrey Fontenot and others. Wade, a senior, has 11 career interceptions and 27 pass break-ups.

S — Darrell Brooks, Michael Johnson
Brooks was a leader on Stoops’ early teams and the coach’s first all-conference player, winning first-team honors in 2005. Johnson was a key junior college transfer, with 107 tackles and five interceptions in two seasons. Plenty of other solid candidates to consider: Cam Nelson, Nate Ness, Robert Golden.

P — Danny Baugher
A leftover from the John Mackovic era, Baugher punter for Stoops for two season and was leading the nation in punting in 2005 when his season ended in the seventh game because of an ACL injury. His average of 47.5 yards that season qualifies as the school season record.

PK — Nick Folk
Jason Bondzio was more accurate on field goals, but Folk had a big leg and went on to make a name for himself in the NFL. Folk, in 2006, also was the Pac-10′s first-team all-conference punter, averaging 44 yards per attempt.

AP — Syndric Steptoe
Steptoe was a versatile performer for the Wildcats, including two punt returns for touchdowns. He played briefly pre-Stoops in 2003, finishing his career with 1,584 receiving yards, 590 punt return yards and 1,757 kick return yards.

Rob Gronkowski celebrates his 10th touchdown of his rookie season, which came against Miami on Jan. 2. Photo by Stew Milne-US PRESSWIRE

Updates with the Vikings waiving OL Conan Amituanai, and the Lions waiving RB Mike Bell and S Michael Johnson on Monday. The Bengals, according to a report, reached an injury settlement with DT Lolomana Mikele before releasing him.

As of Monday night there were 19 former Arizona Wildcats football players on NFL rosters; teams have to cut to 80 by Tuesday and then to 53 by Sept. 3.

Several ex-Cats won’t survive those cuts but could end up on practice squads or hook on with other teams.

Since camps began, seven former Arizona players have been waived — rookie free agent OL Conan Amituanai (Minnesota), rookie free agent receiver Travis Cobb (Chicago), rookie free agent DT Lolomana Mikaele (Cincinnati), running back Chris Henry (Seattle), running back Mike Bell (Lions), defensive back Michael Johnson (Lions) and veteran tight end Brandon Manumaleuna, who failed his physical in Chicago.

Here is a breakdown of who is still standing, for now:

Colin Baxter, C, San Diego
Baxter, who started an Arizona Wildcats record 48 consecutive games, probably won’t crack the final roster as an undrafted free agent, but he does seem a good bet for the practice squad. He also has played guard in preseason games.

Lance Briggs, LB, Chicago
The six-time Pro Bowl player is the most-decorated of the former Wildcats in the NFL, and he has been a stalwart on the Bears’ defense for the past eight seasons, recording 864 tackles. But there could be trouble brewing.

The 30-year-old Briggs is unhappy about his contract, according to the Chicago Tribune, and will demand a trade if he doesn’t get a new one before the end of this season. He will make $3.9 million this season (with bonuses), $4 million next season and $6.5 million in 2013, according to the Tribune.

Eben Britton, OT, Jacksonville
Britton started 15 games at right tackle as a rookie in 2009 and appears to have a long career ahead of him. He missed the final nine games of last season with a shoulder injury, and is suffering from a back injury right now, but he hopes to be ready for the season-opener.

Antoine Cason, DB, San Diego
Cason flourished last season as a starting cornerback in his third year in the NFL, making four interceptions and breaking up 17 passes. He also averaged 16.5 yards on 14 punt returns.

Lionel Dotson, DT, Buffalo
Dotson has been on and off the Miami Dolphins active roster for the past three seasons, appearing in seven games. He seems to be on the bubble with the Bills.

Ricky Elmore, OLB, Green Bay
The rookie sixth-round pick has struggled in camp, according to various reports, as he adjusts to outside linebacker after being a standout defensive end for the Wildcats. He has to work to do to make the final cut.

Nick Folk, PK, New York Jets
Folk, who made the Pro Bowl as a rookie with the Dallas Cowboys in 2007, connected on 30 of 39 field goals last season, his first with the Jets. He re-signed with New York on a one-year deal and is battling Nick Novak for a Jets’ roster spot in the preseason. Folk has made 94 of 120 field goals in four NFL seasons (94 of 120) and all 168 of his extra-point attempts.

Adam Grant, OT, Denver
Overcame injury problems at Arizona to land as a rookie free agent with the Broncos.

Nic Grigsby tries to get away from Atlanta linebacker Robert James in a preseason game. Photo by Dale Zanine-US PRESSWIRE

Nic Grigsby, RB, Miami
Grigsby, probably the most intriguing of the rookie free agents from Arizona, wowed the scouts at UA’s Pro Day in the spring. The Dolphins’ recent signing of veteran Larry Johnson adds to the competition, as Miami already has Reggie Bush and rookie second-rounder Daniel Thomas ahead of Grigsby on the depth chart.

Chris Gronkowski, FB, Dallas
Gronkowski became the Cowboys’ starting fullback last season after joining the team as an undrafted free agent. He’s fighting for a roster spot now with Shaun Chapas and Jason Pociask.

Rob Gronkowski, TE, New England
Had an excellent 2011 season, making 42 catches for 546 yards and 10 touchdowns, which was a franchise record for a rookie. He finished the regular season with his first 100-yard day — with six receptions for 102 yards against Miami. No former Arizona Wildcat had ever made more than seven TD receptions in an NFL season.

Chris Jennings, RB, New York Jets
Jennings, who walked-on to Arizona as a junior college transfer, was playing in the Canadian Football League in 2009 when the Cleveland Browns called. He ended up rushing 63 times for 220 yards that season. He didn’t play in the NFL in 2010, but signed with the Jets in January. Jennings, trying to make the team behind Shonn Greene, LaDainian Tomlinson and Joe McKnight, had a 69-yard run against the Bengals in a preseason game.

Spencer Larsen, FB, Denver
The former All-Pac-10 linebacker was a two-way player for his first two seasons in Denver, famously starting at fullback and at linebacker as a rookie. Now, he is exclusively an offensive player, and he appears headed for a more prominent blocking role as the Broncos will feature more of a power running game this season.

Earl Mitchell, DT, Houston
Second-year pro is battling with former USC Trojan Shaun Cody for a starting spot at nose tackle in the Texans’ new 3-4 scheme. Mitchell made 28 tackles last season as a rookie.

Nate Ness, DB, Miami
Has spent time with four teams after originally signing with the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in the summer of 2009. Hooked up with the Dolphins during the 2010 season after being released by Seattle. He played in three games with Miami.

Brooks Reed, LB, Houston
The second-round pick is making a successful transition from defensive end to outside linebacker, and had two sacks in a preseason game against New Orleans. From the Houston Chronicle: Texans rookie Reed a real stand-up guy.

D’Aundre Reed, DE, Minnesota
Reed, despite being a backup at Arizona, was intriguing enough as an athlete to be a seventh-round pick in 2011. Reports indicated he looked good early in camp before suffering a camp injury. He’s a solid bet to survive the final cut.

Mike Thomas, WR, Jacksonville
Thomas, a fourth-round pick in 2009, set a franchise rookie record with 48 catches for 453 yards. He followed up in 2010 with team-highs in catches (66) and receiving yards (820), highlighted by one of the plays of the year in the NFL, catching a deflected Hail Mary pass from David Garrard for a last-play touchdown for a 31-24 win over Houston (see video below).

Vuna Tuihalamaka, LB, Indianapolis
He signed in early August after spending the 2010 camp with the Colts as an undrafted free agent. He spent brief time on the Seattle Seahawks practice squad late last season.

Vuna Tuihalamaka made 72 tackles for the Wildcats as a senior in 2009.
Photo by Chris Morrison-US PRESSWIRE

Arizona coach Mike Stoops has signed on average five junior college recruits in each of his previous seven recruiting classes.

That’s how many he is expected to sign this year.

Three signed in December and enrolled for the spring semester — tight end Drew Robinson, center Addison Bachman and punter Kyle Dugandzic. Two more are expected to be announced today — defensive end Lamar De Rego and kicker Jaimie Salazar.

Stoops hasn’t signed any superstar from junior college as Dick Tomey did during his Arizona day. Tomey brought in, among others, punter Josh Miller, cornerback Chris McAlister and offensive linemen Glenn Parker, Edwin Mulitalo and Frank Middleton.

That’s a lot of NFL playing time right there.

Stoops hasn’t hit home runs like that but has found a steady stream of important pieces from junior college. The somewhat equal nature of all those transfers makes it tricky to create a beat-of list … but we’ll try.

By the end of next season, linebacker Paul Vassallo could be at the top of the list.

Here goes … best Stoops’ junior college transfers:

1. S Nate Ness
Made 107 tackles and seven interceptions in his career.

2. S Michael Johnson
Made 107 tackles and five interceptions; went on to Super Bowl win with the New York Giants.

3. LB Paul Vassallo
Leds the Wildcats with 102 tackles, including eight for loss, last season.

4. OL Mike Diaz
Started 20 games in two years, including 11 at left tackle in 2009.

5. LB Vuna Tuihalamaka
He and fellow JC transfer linebacker Sterling Lewis were solid contributors.

Other notables include: cornerback Marquis Hundley, running back Chris Jennings (a walk-on), defensive end Louis Holmes (who never lived up to the hype of being the No. 1 JC recruit in the nation), safety Joseph Perkins, offensive tackle Phillip Garcia.

Former Arizona linebacker Spencer Larsen is now a full-time fullback for the Denver Broncos/Photo by Ron Chenoy-US PRESSWIRE

NFL teams have been holding minicamps and other offseason training activities, so let’s take a look at where former Arizona Wildcats stand as everyone gears up for the start of training camp in late July:

Mike Bell, RB, Philadelphia
Earned a Super Ring with New Orleans last season — leading the Saints in carries during the regular season (172 for 654 yards) — before signing a one-year free-agent deal with the Eagles worth $1.7 million. He is expected to back up second-year pro LeSean McCoy and be a more powerful change of pace.

Lance Briggs, LB, Chicago
The five-time Pro Bowl pick will be going for his seventh consecutive 100-tackle season as he welcomes back Brian Urlacher to the Bears’ linebacker corps this season. He’s a popular teammate and popular in the Windy City … hey, how else do you get chosen to be a judge at Chicago’s version of Playboy’s 50th Anniversary Party.

Eben Britton, OT, Jacksonville
A 2009 second-round pick, Britton started 15 games at right tackle last season and looks to be a fixture on the Jags’ offensive line, along with fellow second-year pro Eugene Monroe at left tackle.

Copeland Bryan, DE, Detroit
He was signed by the Lions last year after being cut from Buffalo at the end of training camp. He played in five games for Detroit, starting one, making five tackles, including one sack.

Antoine Cason, CB, San Diego
The Chargers traded Antonio Cromartie, so they expect Cason, who has been a nickel back, to take over as a starting cornerback. Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune blogged recently that Cason “is having an excellent offseason. He is always on the ball, is blanketing receivers, knows what he’s doing. Of course, he hasn’t been going against Vincent Jackson or Malcom Floyd (until recently) or even Legedu Naanee.” For sure, check out this great story from Acee in April, talking about how Cason spent several weeks training in Tucson with a UA assistant track coach.

Lionel Dotson, DE, Miami
Was on the Dolphins’ roster all of last season, but was mostly inactive on game days, appearing in two games. The 2008 seventh-round pick again will be fighting for a roster spot in training camp.

Nick Folk, PK, New York Jets
Folk was super in his first two seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, making 46 of 53 field goal attempts and earning Pro Bowl honors as a rookie in 2007. But he had hip surgery after the 2008 season, struggling to regain his form. The Cowboys cut him in December, and then Folk signed with the Jets in February.

Chris Gronkowski, FB, Dallas
He is versatile as a blocker and pass-catcher, willing to do the blue-collar work. Coach Wade Phillips told DallasCowboys.com, “We’ll see when we get the pads on, but he looks good so far.”

Rob Gronkowski, TE, Patriots
The second-round rookie is helping to remake the position in New England, which also drafted Florida’s Aaron Hernandez in the fourth round. While Hernandez is considered more of a pure pass-catcher, Gronkowski has all-around tight end skills and, according to Patriots.com, made the play of the day at a recent full-squad scrimmage on a pass from Tom Brady.

Chris Henry, RB, Houston
He was the 50th overall pick in the 2007, drafted by Tennessee because of his excellent workout at the scouting combine rather than his production on the field. Henry got little use in his first two years, and the Titans released him early last season. He landed with the Houston Texans, but did not have a carry. He’s competing for a roster spot this summer.

Chris Jennings, RB, Cleveland
Jennings has been a nice success story, walking-on to Arizona as a junior college transfer and becoming productive in the running and passing games. Undrafted, he was playing in the Canadian Football League last season when the Browns called, and Jennings was able to stick with the team, rushing 63 times for 220 yards. He’ll be facing a roster crunch at running back in training camp.

Michael Johnson, FS, N.Y. Giants
He won a Super Bowl ring with the Giants in the 2007 season and became a starter in 2008, but neither he nor the team’s secondary was stellar in 2009. Considering the Giants signed ex-Cardinals safety Antrel Rolle to a five-year, $37 million contract, have youngster Kenny Phillips and veteran Deon Grant, and used a third-round pick on LSU safety Chad Jones … Johnson’s days in New York might be numbered.

Spencer Larsen, FB, Denver
The former All-Pac-10 linebacker was a two-way player for his first two seasons in Denver, famously starting at fullback and at linebacker as a rookie. Now, he will be exclusively an offensive player … and you can be sure he’ll do it with a great attitude. “Football is football,” he told reporters earlier this month. “A lot of it is the same techniques. Linebackers have a different personality but to me it is all football. By doing this, I can still be a special teams member and it is something I care about.”

Brandon Manumaleuna, TE, Chicago
He’s entering his 10th NFL season, after spending five years with the St. Louis Rams and four with the San Diego Chargers. Manumaleuna, a true blocking tight end (he’s really like having another tackle on the line), signed a five-year contract with the Bears in the offseason.

Earl Mitchell, DT, Houston
Big Earl, after playing the position for only two seasons at Arizona, was a third-round pick in 2010. Coach Gary Kubiak was quoted in the Houston Chronicle as calling Mitchell an “effort player.” Kubiak added: “Earl is going to be a part of our rotation if he continues to do in pads what he did in the OTAs. He’s pushing for somebody’s job, and he makes it very competitive in that group.”

Nate Ness, DB, Miami
Ness, undrafted after the 2009 season, signed with Cleveland, then had roster stints with the New York Jets and Seattle Seahawks before landing on the Dolphins’ practice squad in October. He was active for one game.

Dennis Northcutt celebrates a touchdown against the Colts in December 2008/Photo by Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

Dennis Northcutt, WR, Detroit
He’s had a productive 10-year career, with 399 catches for 4,941 yards, and three career punt returns for touchdowns. Northcutt, who was traded from Jacksonville after the 2008 season, made 35 receptions for the Lions last season.

Syndric Steptoe, WR, Cleveland
Suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in training camp last year and appears to be on the outside looking in as the Browns head into camp this season. He caught 19 passes as a rookie in 2008.

Mike Thomas, WR, Jacksonville
The 2009 fourth-rounder overcame a hamstring injury in training camp to set a franchise rookie record with 48 catches, good for 453 yards. Thomas, who can also return punts, could be the Jags’ No. 2 receiver this season behind Mike Sims-Walker.

Vuna Tuihalamaka, LB, Indianapolis
The undrafted free agent is trying to hang on for a backup spot and a role on special teams.

Bobby Wade, WR, Washington
Wade’s most productive stretch was his two years in Minnesota, where he caught 107 passes across the 2007 and 2008 seasons. He spent last season with Kansas City before signing as a free agent with the Redskins. Washington is the fifth NFL team for Wade, who has 244 receptions in eight seasons. At last count, the Redskins had 12 receivers on the roster, so it’s no guarantee Wade will be catching passes from Donovan McNabb this season.

OTHERS

Wilrey Fontenot, CB
A seventh-round pick in 2008, Fontenot was cut by the Arizona Cardinals before the start of the 2009 season.

Antonio Pierce, LB
Undrafted after the 2000 season, Pierce developed into one of the fiercest linebackers in the NFL. He was a standout at middle linebacker for the N.Y. Giants, the defensive leader of the team that won Super Bowl XLII. But a herniated disc in his neck cut short his 2009 season, and the Giants released him in the offseason. After a nine-year NFL career, Pierce recently said he’s leaning toward retirement.

Devin Ross, CB
The undrafted rookie free agent went to minicamp with the Eagles, but he was released on Thursday.

Marcus Smith, DT
Cut by Buffalo in February, Smith is playing with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League.

Arizona ended the decade with its best defensive line since the late 1990s, but this was one of the major problem areas for the team this decade. The Arizona Wildcats were the only Pac-10 team this decade to not have a first-team all-league defensive lineman.

USC had a first-team all-league defensive lineman 11 times this decade. Oregon State was next with seven. The Wildcats haven’t had such a player since Joe Salave’a in 1997.

TucsonCitizen.com’s picks for Arizona football’s all-decade team on offense.

What the Cats have had this decade are two of the best at their position in the entire league — linebacker Lance Briggs (first-team all-conference in 2000, 2001 and 2002) and cornerback Antoine Cason (winner of the Jim Thorpe Award in 2007). Take your pick: One of these guys is your Arizona Defensive Player of the Decade.

Not to influence your selection, but Cason was chosen to SI.com’s All-Decade team in college football.

Note that one of the most prominent UA alums — New York Giants mega-millionaire linebacker Antonio Pierce — is absent. First of all, he played at UA for only one season of the decade (2000) when he had an honorable mention all-league season (77 tackles, 10 for loss). Good, not great.

Defensive end Joe Tafoya also played only year this decade, and it was nearly good enough to make the list. He was second-team All-Pac-10 in 2000, making 18 tackles for loss, which is a season high for Arizona this decade. (In general, I preferred an all-decade candidate who had a longer resume for the time frame.)

The defensive line is where there could be the most debate, mostly because there are few standouts. Others considered were Tafoya, Marcus Smith, Young Thompson, Yaniv Barnett, Louis Holmes (well, not really) and Ricky Elmore, whose 10.5-sack regular-season is fresh in everybody’s mind.

Here are our choices for UA’s All-Decade team for defense:

DE — Copeland Bryan (2002-05)
A very nice walk-on find for Arizona, Bryan developed into an NFL-caliber player by the time he left, coming up with 7.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss as a senior. Finished with 14 career sacks.

DT — Lionel Dotson (2004-07)
“L Train” started 20 games in his first three seasons — a solid, if unspectacular performer in the middle of the line. He then played his way into an NFL prospect as a senior after a season with 50 tackles, including nine for loss and 6.5 sacks. That earned him second-team All-Pac-10 honors.

DT — Earl Mitchell (2006-2009)
Spent his first two seasons as an underused fullback/H-back/tight end before making the switch to defense. Big Earl had 40 tackles, including 1.5 sacks, in his first season at the position before earning second-team all-conference honors in 2009, making 12.5 tackles for loss with 6.5 sacks — big numbers for an interior lineman.

DE — Brooks Reed (2007-09)
Why Reed and not Elmore? Fair question. Reed missed about five games this season with an ankle injury, during which time Mike Stoops repeatedly referred to Reed as the team’s best pass rusher and kind of the glue of the line. Always a high-energy player, Reed ended up with two sacks and five tackles for loss, coming off a sophomore season in which he had eight sacks and made honorable-mention all-league.

Lance Briggs tackles ASU quarterback Andrew Walter in 2001/Tucson Citizen photo

LB — Lance Briggs (1999-2002)
Briggs nearly de-committed to USC on Signing Day 1999, but the Sacramento kid once described as the next Tedy Bruschi became one of the great Wildcat defenders. After playing running back as a true freshman in 1999, Briggs requested a move back to linebacker, where he posted 113 tackles as a sophomore, earning the first of three consecutive all-conference honors … which really says it all. He led the team in tackles (93 and 98) in each of the next two seasons before going on to a successful and lucrative career with the Chicago Bears.

LB — Spencer Larsen (2002, 2005-07)
Well-liked, well-spoken and a coach’s dream, the hard-working Larsen was the team’s defensive newcomer of the year in 2002 and then left for a two-year church mission. He overcame a knee injury upon his return in spring 2005, managing to pick up where he left off. Larsen had 131 tackles as a senior in an All-Pac-10 season, and his 312 career tackles are the most for a UA player this decade (and 15th-best all-time).

LB — Ronnie Palmer (2005-08)
More steady than flashy, Palmer started 41 games in his UA career. The middle linebacker led the team in tackles (85) and tackles for loss (11) in 2008, giving him career marks of 275 stops, including 21 for loss.

Antoine Cason returns an interception for a touchdown aganist Cal in 2006/Tucson Citizen photo

CB — Antoine Cason (2004-07)
He was the face of the Wildcats for a couple of seasons — photogenic, good with a quote and bringing a confident air to his battles with the league’s best receivers. Highlights include a 39-yard fourth-quarter interception return for a touchdown that fueled a 24-20 upset of No. 8 Cal in 2006, and scoring twice — on an interception return and a punt return — in a 34-24 upset of No. 2 Oregon in 2007. That latter game — on Thursday night on ESPN — propelled Cason to the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation’s top defensive back. His 15 career interceptions are fourth in UA history.

CB — Michael Jolivette (2000-03)
He’s the UA career leader in passes broken up (44), despite missing most of his junior season because of injury. He also was able to corral his fair share of passes, coming up with 12 career interceptions. Current UA sophomore Trevin Wade might end up being a better player, but had only one season as a starter this decade.

S — Darrell Brooks (2002-05)
His leadership and on-field play helped guide the Wildcats through some tough times. A four-year starter, Brooks made 295 tackles and four interceptions, earning second-team all-league honors as a junior and first-team recognition as a senior.

S — Michael Johnson (2005-06)
The junior college transfer was a key recruit for coach Mike Stoops, and he gets the nod here on the strength of his second-team All-Pac-10 season in 2006. Johnson had 107 tackles in two seasons, with five interceptions, and his physical style of play has served him well with the NFL’s New York Giants.

AP — Syndric Steptoe (2003-06)
Finished with 3,931 all-purpose yards, ninth in school history. He had 131 career catches for 1,584 yards; he scored twice on punt returns and returned 80 kicks for an average of nearly 22 yards.

P — Danny Baugher (2002-05)
A starter for nearly all of four seasons, Baugher has the highest season-average in school history — 47.5 yards on 37 attempts in 2005, when his season ended in the seventh game because of an ACL injury. He was leading the nation in punting at the time. His 225 punts are a school record.