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

Arizona senior cornerback Trevin Wade earned second-team All-Pac-12 honors, the only Wildcats player honored on the all-conference teams.

Five players received honorable mention honors: Senior quarterback Nick Foles, senior receiver Juron Criner, junior center Kyle Quinn, freshman defensive back Tra’Mayne Bondurant and junior kicker John Bonano.

Wade led the Wildcats with 13 pass break-ups, and he also had two interceptions. He finished with 52 tackles.

Bondurant essentially played only half a season, entering the starting lineup for the seventh game after Tim Kish took over as interim head coach. He played a hybrid nickel back/linebacker position.

Bondurant finished with 45 tackles, including 3.5 for loss. He broke up six passes, intercepted a pass and forced a fumble.

Stanford’s Andrew Luck was the first-team quarterback, and USC’s Matt Barkley earned second-team honors, leaving the record-setting Foles as honorable mention. Criner battled injuries to finish with 75 catches for 956 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Bonano added place-kicking duties to his kickoff role after Kish took over, making 8 of 12 attempts with a long of 47. He hit 22 of his 67 kickoffs for touchbacks. He was 24 of 24 on extra-ppint attempts, after Arizona missed five in the first six games.

Bonano had been listed as a senior for most of the season, but he was actually a redshirt junior who is eligible next season.

The All-Pac-12 teams are selected by the league coaches.

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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Senior Trevin Wade has 12 career interceptions. Photo by Jason O. Watson-US PRESSWIRE

The status of Arizona Wildcats senior cornerback Trevin Wade is iffy as he recovers from a leg injury, interim head coach Tim Kish said after Wednesday’s practice.

It is at least some good news that the other starting cornerback, Shaquille Richardson, has been able to practice some in the past two days. He missed last week’s game because of an ankle injury.

“Hopefully, we’ll have him ready Saturday,” Kish said.

The top backup at corner, freshman Cortez Johnson, missed last week’s game against Utah because of a concussion. He practiced Wednesday and will be available Saturday at Colorado.

“Trevin is the one who probably is the least likely right now to go on Saturday,” said Kish, who quickly sounded more optimistic.

“He’ll be ready. He’ll be ready. … I think we’re in good shape. Trevin, I think we’re being cautious right now. But knowing Trevin, he’ll be ready to play on Saturday.”

Wade has been playing through a shoulder injury, suffered at Oregon State on Oct. 8. He has had a bounce-back season after a subpar junior year, leading the team with 10 pass break-ups. He has intercepted two passes.

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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Nick Foles, enjoying last season's win over Cal, hopes to be celebrating again next Thursday. Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Now we’ll find out how Arizona football deals with change.

The news of Mike Stoops’ firing on Monday “was a shock to us all,” quarterback Nick Foles said after Wednesday’s practice. Added cornerback Trevin Wade: “It caught us all off guard.”

In the wake of the Stoops’ dismissal, the school has made only those two players available to the media — and the team is now off limits until Monday, as the Wildcats try to close ranks and regroup this week under interim head coach Tim Kish.

Perhaps it won’t be just the same old same old for the Wildcats.

While Foles and Wade praised Stoops for what he did for the program and for them personally, the sudden change at the top, if handled properly, could energize the team for the final six games.

“It possibly could,” Wade said.

“You have to come out and you have to fight. If we all sulk now, we’re just hurting our own futures. We have to pull through and fight.”

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Jaime Salazar makes a 27-yard field goal against Stanford; he has three misses. Photo by Matt Kartozian-US PRESSWIRE

When Arizona misses a field goal these days, it isn’t just a missed opportunity for three points. It’s cause for eye-rolling, head-shaking, first-pounding and feelings of, “Here we go again.”

The UA is 1 of 5 on field goal attempts this season, including a bad snap that sailed past holder Kyle Dugandzic. Jaime Salazar has missed three times, including from 45 yards on the final play of the first half and 36 yards at the start of the second half.

Those kicks would have tied the game at 16.

“Those are points we need,” said quarterback Nick Foles. “It’s like missing a wide-open layup. You’ve got to get those points. We have to figure that out. For us to be successful, we have to be successful in all sides of the ball.”

Salazar has squandered any trust the coaches had in him after he won the job in fall camp, although he was far from brilliant in practices and scrimmages. Coach Mike Stoops indicated after the game that former starter Alex Zendejas would have to be considered again, although that situation likely will play out in practice this week.

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Senior Trevin Wade has 10 career interceptions. Photo by Jason O. Watson-US PRESSWIRE

To use the football vernacular, Arizona Wildcats cornerback Trevin Wade is a ballhawk. At least that used to be his reputation.

He intercepted four passes as a freshman, despite very limited playing time. He followed with five picks as a sophomore starter.

And then?

Well, maybe Wade got a little too happy, a little too caught in the building hype before his junior season. He often struggled last season, losing his starting spot for one game.

“It all gets back to preparation, and in my observation, the lack of it,” said coach Mike Stoops. “The lack of preparation for a season and taking things for granted is something that can happen to even good people.

“That’s a great lesson to learn and, hopefully, he learned his lesson because we have great challenges out there on the perimeter.”

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