Arizona football training camp notes, practice 11: UA’s 2026 recruiting class continues to shine

It was a productive day for several members of Arizona’s 2026 recruiting class.

Arizona freshman tight end Henry Gabalis caught a touchdown from backup quarterback Sawyer Anderson in a 7-on-7 red-zone period. Anderson also had two touchdown passes to running back Wesley Yarbrough.

Gabalis also caught a touchdown pass from four-star quarterback Oscar Rios, the Wildcats’ highest-rated signee since Nic Costa in 2001, who’s catching up after missing the spring due to labrum surgery on his non-throwing shoulder.

Arizona’s highest-rated recruit for 2026, wide receiver R.J. Mosley, bounced back after a lackluster practice on Monday. In the same 7-on-7 period, Mosley pirouetted near the left side of the end zone — with Charlotte transfer cornerback Dwight Bootle in coverage — and dove for the touchdown pass thrown by Anderson. Mosley also had a back-shoulder touchdown grab against Wyoming transfer cornerback Tyrese Boss in a one-on-one period.

Despite having an off-day on Monday, Mosley is having a strong camp — same with fellow freshman receiver Caleb “Jet” Smith, who peeled away from defenders in the end zone to catch a pass from a scrambling Fifita, in the red-zone team period.

Arizona linebacker Dash Fifita also had a tackle for loss on a swing pass to a running back.

Arizona’s 2026 recruiting class has stepped up in a major way this training camp.

Here are other notes and observations from Arizona’s 11th fall training camp practice:

* Arizona running back Ismail Mahdi, after slowly ramping up his involvement since re-joining the team two weeks ago, participated in a team period and had two inside runs of about 5 or 6 yards.

* Arizona’s first-team defense in the red-zone 7-on-7 period had Chase Kennedy and Taye Brown at linebacker, along with Jay’Vion Cole, Hartzog, Quinn Olson, Gavin Hunter and Dwight Bootle.

* Fifita threw a touchdown to Illinois transfer tight end Cole Rusk on the fourth play of the red-zone 7-on-7 period. In a team period, Fifita threw a 6-yard touchdown to tight end Tyler Powell in the flat.

* Junior college safety transfer Harold Lusk took second-team reps. The 6-2, 207-pound Lusk, a Seaside, California native, played at Monterrey Peninsula Community College (California), the program UA assistant defensive line coach and former UA linebacker coach Ronnie Palmer coached for six seasons.

* In the final team period, second-year running back Wesley Yarbrough broke out for a long run. On a cornerback blitz, Bootle deflected one of Fifita’s pass attempts at the line of scrimmage. Georgetown transfer Cooper Blomstrom sacked Fifita, and Brown had a tackle for loss.

* Former NFL offensive lineman Andrus Peat attended practice to watch his younger brother Keona Peat. The younger Peat has taken reps at left guard and center in training camp. Andrus Peat played 11 seasons in the NFL and was a three-time Pro Bowler for the New Orleans Saints. Peat recently retired at 32 years old. Andrus Peat and Keona Peat’s younger brother is former UA basketball star Koa Peat, who’s now a rookie for the hometown Phoenix Suns.

* Scouts from the Las Vegas Raiders, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, Dallas Cowboys, Cleveland Browns, Carolina Panthers and Tennessee Titans.