Former Arizona cornerback Jace Whittaker did not get drafted by an NFL team this spring, but he did sign as a free agent with the Arizona Cardinals shortly after the draft. Whittaker left an impression on the team throughout camp and now he has signed to the Cardinals' practice squad allowing the California native to continue his professional career.

Whittaker became a big part of the defense throughout his five-year career with the Wildcats when he was able to stay healthy, and he proved to be a valuable piece of the team last year when he moved from cornerback to safety to help solidify that group. His production at cornerback and versatility helped him get noticed as a potential NFL prospect resulting in his free agent deal with the Cardinals.

His natural fit at cornerback helped him make it through the early cuts in camps and eventually Whittaker was one of the final players to be cut by the team this weekend.

Whittaker's production during camp with the Cardinals earned him praise from veteran star cornerback Patrick Peterson signaling a potential future with the franchise for the UA alum.

Whittaker finished his career with the Wildcats with 159 tackles, six tackles for loss, 41 passes defensed and seven interceptions. His final year with the team was his best as he had a career-high 55 tackles and he tied a career high with three interceptions.

Each team is allowed to sign 16 practice squad players this season. Fellow UA alum, JJ Taylor, also signed to a practice squad Sunday as the former Wildcats standout running back will continue his career with the New England Patriots.

You could argue that some of Arizona's most successful players over the last decade have been the players who moved positions either before they finished their careers at UA or once they make the move to the NFL. You might be able to add Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles to that list soon. The second-year player for the San Francisco 49ers has made that team's 53-man roster after moving to linebacker.

The Tucson native played safety at Arizona and that is where he looked like he could began playing last year during his first season as part of an NFL franchise. He spent the 2019 season on the team's practice squad and ultimately made the move to linebacker where he started to find a comfort level this summer.

DFF has gained some praise from his teammates for being able to make the transition to a new position and impact the team heading into the new season. The 49ers are carrying more linebackers into the season than normal with Fred Warner still coming back from the COVID-19 list. Still, Flannigan-Fowles is expected to have a role on this year's team including being an important special teams player for the 49ers.

The former Tucson High standout had an impressive career with the Wildcats as he played in 50 games for the team during his time on campus. He showcased some of his versatility during his time at Arizona and was able to finish with 243 tackles over the course of his career to go along with 10 tackles for loss and six interceptions.

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