Rob Gronkowski had a good time on the ESPYs red carpet with tennis player Daniela Hantuchova. Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

NFL camps have started … do you know where your former Arizona Wildcats are?

Offseason news has been dominated by ex-UA tight end Rob Gronkowski, who followed up his record-setting second season with the New England Patriots with what is widely referred to as the “Summer of Gronk.”

Let the Boston Globe describe it:

“Gronkowski, in no particular order, won a celebrity home run derby at the Triple-A All-Star Game (reportedly hitting one 325 feet), appeared on The Choice, a dating show, co-hosted Access Hollywood Live, judged a celebrity bikini contest in Las Vegas and walked the ESPY’s red carpet. He also attended the premier of the movie “Ted,” hung out with Kim Kardashian, was one of the naked cover boys for ESPN The Magazine, and ran a viral video campaign trying to land on the cover of the Madden video game.

Oh, and he also signed a six-year contract extension worth $54 million – the richest deal ever given to a tight end. It includes $18.17 million in guaranteed money.”

Oh, to be Gronk.

Gronk is the headliner among the former Arizona Wildcats in the NFL, with 22 players on camp rosters.

Here is a look at who is where:

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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:

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Mike Thomas runs after a catch against Tennessee last month. Photo by Fernando Medina-US PRESSWIRE

A couple of news items for a pair of former Arizona Wildcats on the Jacksonville Jaguars …

“Money Mike” has a whole lot more money.

Wide receiver Mike Thomas, who is the Pac-12 career receptions leader with 260, received a three-year contract extension Thursday that takes him through the 2015 season. The extension is for $18 million, with $9 million of that guaranteed.

“I’m definitely excited,” Thomas said on Jaguars.com.

“I still have a job to do. It’s not really about money to me, but at the same time, I’m grateful and ecstatic that it happened. I still feel like I’ve got a lot ahead of me, so that’s where my focus is.

“I feel like I’ve got a lot of getting better to do myself. I want to do great, so that’s where my head is.”

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The Pac-12 posted this video, which features former Arizona receiver Mike Thomas of the Jacksonville Jaguars, and ex-UA defensive end D’Aundre Reed, a rookie with the Minnesota Vikings.

Thomas on the Zona Zoo: “It’s nutty in there, it’s grimy in there.”

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:

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Eben Britton will be cheering from the Arizona sideline Thursday night. Photo by Fernando Medina-US PRESSWIRE

Former Arizona Wildcats offensive tackle Eben Britton has no need to hold back how he feels about Arizona State.

“We hate those guys,” Britton said Monday. “There are no ifs, ands or buts about it.”

Britton, who left after his junior season and was a second-round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2009, is in town this week to watch the Territorial Cup showdown between Arizona and ASU. Britton, the Jags’ starting right tackle, suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in late October.

He was wandering the halls of McKale Center on Monday morning when he got pulled into Arizona’s weekly interview session with coach Mike Stoops and selected players.

“It’s bitter, man,” he said of the rivalry. “As a young guy, you come in and you don’t really understand that hatred.”

It takes only one time.

“It’s a lot of fun to play those guys,” Britton said. “It gets nasty. Especially in the trenches. That’s what it’s all about.”

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Sunday’s action in the NFL was capped by New England’s victory at Pittsburgh in which rookie tight end Rob Gronkowski caught three touchdown passes for the Patriots.

Soon after the game, “Gronkowski” was trending on Twitter.

As for former Arizona Wildcats in the NFL, that wasn’t the half of it Sunday.

Mike Thomas, a second-year receiver with the Jacksonville Jaguars, was involved in the play of the day (the season?), catching a deflected Hail Mary pass from David Garrard for a last-play touchdown for a 31-24 win over Houston.

And it never hurts to have Gus Johnson on the call.

“It was definitely a surprise,” Thomas said. “You don’t expect that kind of play to go the way it’s supposed to go. I was shocked and a little stunned.”

Look for Money Mike to be on ESPN First Take on Monday morning to talk about the catch.

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Eben Britton stepped right into the starting lineup as a rookie last season/Photo by Fernando Medina-US PRESSWIRE

Former Arizona all-conference offensive tackle Eben Britton, the starting right tackle for the Jacksonville Jaguars, will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery.

Britton, who has started 22 games for the Jaguars since being a second-round pick in 2009, suffered a torn right labrum Sunday in the game against Kansas City.

“I dislocated it and I was able to pop it back in on my own. During the two-minute drill at the end of the half, it dislocated completely and I couldn’t get it back in,” Britton said on the team’s official website.

Britton was the 39th overall selection in the 2009 draft, making him the second-highest Arizona player drafted since 2001. There were some lean years for the Wildcats in there, but coach Mike Stoops has turned that around, notably with cornerback Antoine Cason, who was the 27th pick in the 2008 first round.

The Jags still have an active ex-Wildcat — receiver Mike Thomas, also a second-year player. Thomas has team-high 29 catches for 346 yards, but he is still looking for his first touchdown this season.

Mike Thomas (10) and Willie Tuitama (7) were key to the 2007 comeback against Washington, which helped lead to the 2008 Las Vegas Bowl/Photo by Kirby Lee, US-PRESSWIRE

Coach Mike Stoops’ tenure with the Arizona Wildcats is clearly divided into two areas: Before and after the game at Washington on Oct. 27, 2007.

Stoops, near the near of his fourth season, had a 14-28 record at that point while trying to rebuild the Wildcats from the John Mackovic wreckage. Since rallying in the fourth quarter to beat Washington nearly three years ago, Arizona is 24-12.

From 33.3 percent to 66.7 percent.

“I don’t know if desperate was the right word,” said co-defensive coordinator Tim Kish, reflecting on the game. “We were trying to win any game we could get our hands on, so if that’s desperate, it’s desperate. Yeah, I remember it well, it was definitely a pivotal game for us.”

Arizona trailed by 15 points early in the fourth quarter, and Stoops’ apparently was losing his grip on his first head coaching job.

And then the Cats rallied to begin a three-game winning streak that ended with a 34-24 home victory over No. 2 Oregon. Arizona used that momentum to launch to back-to-back 8-5 records and this year’s 5-1 mark at the halfway point of the season.

But, first, was the comeback against Washington. Here is an excerpt of a story I wrote for the 2008 print edition of the Tucson Citizen, looking back at the most critical game of the Stoops era:

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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.”

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