Anyone who’s spent enough time in Tucson knows it has a way of welcoming people back—and that holds true for Arizona football, especially if you fill a position of need.
Former Arizona tight end Keyan Burnett is returning to the Wildcats after a brief stint with Kansas, according to Matt Zenitz of 247Sports.
Burnett was one of over two dozen players from Arizona’s 2024 squad who entered the transfer portal last December. He committed to Kansas but re-entered the portal after four months and a full spring with the Jayhawks.
The 6-foot-6, 248-pound tight end played in 32 games over three seasons with the Wildcats, starting eight. He opened three of the first four games last season, including the Big 12 debut against Utah, where he caught his first—and only—career touchdown from quarterback Noah Fifita, a former high school teammate from Servite in Anaheim, California.
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Burnett has 24 career receptions, including 18 in 2024. He is the son of former Arizona defensive standout Chester Burnett and was a 4-star recruit in the Wildcats’ highly regarded 2022 signing class, which also included Fifita, Jacob Manu, and Tetairoa McMillan—all from Servite.
Arizona offensive coordinator Seth Doege identified tight end as a position needing more depth following spring practices. Last season’s primary starter Sam Olson is back, Tyler Powell impressed in spring ball, and the Wildcats added Cameron Barmore via the portal and 3-star recruit Kellan Ford, who joins this summer.
Burnett is now the second former Wildcat to return to the program this offseason. Defensive lineman Tia Savea, a starter on the 2023 squad that finished 10-3 with an Alamo Bowl win, also made his way back to Tucson after transferring out.
