(Photo via Hudl)
The 2021 recruiting cycle is in full effect, despite the COVID-19 pandemic. The Arizona Wildcat coaching staff has only upped their intensity on the recruiting trail, sending offers out to players all over the country.
Three star defensive end Tyler Kiehne, from Los Lunas High School in New Mexico, picked his offer from the Wildcats a few weeks ago and the 'Cats are making a great impression so far. A large part of that is new defensive line coach Stan Eggen and the relationship he's built with Kiehne. I spoke with the big pass rusher about his recruitment, views of Arizona, and more. Read on below for the interview. Brandon Combs: How many offers are you up to at this point in the process? Tyler Kiehne: "I have 10 offers." (Arizona, California, Kansas, New Mexico, Toledo, UCLA, Utah, Washington State, Wisconsin, Western New Mexico) Brandon: Out of your offers, which schools are standing out the most? Kiehne: "Wisconsin, Utah, UCLA, Arizona, and Cal." Brandon: What makes those 5 schools stand out over your other offers? Kiehne: "I just feel like those are the schools that are most interested in me at the moment, and where I have the best opportunities at." Brandon: What visits, if any, have you taken so far? What visits would you like to take once you able to visit campuses again? Kiehne: "I have taken visits to Cal, Stanford, Oklahoma State, UCLA, and Texas Tech. I would like to go to Wisconsin, Utah, UCLA, Arizona, and Cal again." Brandon: When it comes to the Arizona visit, what will you be looking for while in Tucson? Kiehne: "I'll just be looking for how I feel there. If I feel at home and if I feel the love from the coaches. It'll also be my first time in Tucson, so I want to see what the city is like as well." Brandon: Does the close proximity of U of A have any appeal to you, or does location not have much weight with your decision? Kiehne: "It does. Tucson is out of state but close enough to home. Location has a significant weight on my decision, but it's not a factor that will make or break my decision." Brandon: How did your offer from Arizona come about? Kiehne: "Coach (Stan) Eggen recruited me when he was at UNM (New Mexico). When he moved to Arizona, he told me that he was going to keep recruiting me. That's exactly what he did." Brandon: How is your relationship with Coach Eggen? Kiehne: "It's great! We've been building our relationship since I was a freshman in high school, so I've known him for a long time. He has always believed in me and wanted me to play for him!" Brandon: What does Coach Eggen like about your game and what you could bring to Tucson if you chose Arizona? Kiehne: "He likes my pass rush and my speed. I can bring a relentless attitude on defense. I can bring toughness and grit that a defense needs. I can also bring intensity, leadership, and energy." Brandon: When it comes to a commitment, do you have a time frame for when you want to make a decision? What are you looking for in a school? Kiehne: "I would like to commit sometime during the football season. I'm looking for the place where I will have the maximum amount of opportunities, both on the field and in the classroom." Brandon: With players like Connor O'Toole (Utah) and Philip Bidi (Texas Tech) going to Power Five schools last cycle, do you feel that New Mexico football players are starting to get the respect and attention they deserve? Kiehne: "I think that we are slowly getting to that point. We have a lot to prove to the rest of the country and I think we will do that." Brandon: What aspect of your game are you looking to improve this season? Kiehne: "I'm looking to get stronger."
Flipping on Kiehne's film and you can see what defensive line coach Stan Eggen loves.
Kiehne is relentless, plain and simple. He has an explosive first step and a great mixture of skills and technique. This allows him to enter the backfield quick, fast, and in a hurry. He has a great frame and already has a solid amount of good weight on him. Once he gets into a college lifting program, he's going to be a monster. Kiehne was very productive last year, as seen by his stat line. According to MaxPreps, Kiehne finished his junior season with 56 tackles, 13 tackles-for-loss, 9 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 4 fumble recoveries, a blocked punt, and a blocked field goal. Overall, Kiehne fits exactly what Arizona needs on the end with his combination of size, speed, and aggressiveness. Arizona is in a great position so far and the relationship with Stan Eggen shouldn't be overlooked. Junior Highlights:
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(Photo via Arizona Athletics) The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the entire sporting world. For college football teams, including the Arizona Wildcats, that means no spring football. However, it's not just current Wildcat players who have been affected. A handful of NFL-hopeful former 'Cats have been affected in a big way. The more time passes, the more it becomes apparent Arizona's Pro Day won't happen. Pro Days are a great way to get players who weren't invited to the NFL Combine in front of NFL scouts to workout and test in many of the same drills run at the Combine. J.J. Taylor was the only Arizona player to be invited to the Combine this year, meaning all other former 'Cats were relying on their Pro Days. But former 'Cats won't let that stop them. Multiple players have conducted taped individual Pro Days and sent the results to all 32 NFL teams. One such player to complete his Pro Day is safety Tristan Cooper. The El Paso native had a fairly successful career while playing in Tucson. Cooper finished his career with the 'Cats with 123 total tackles, 5 tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble and 9 passes broken up. He was a multi-year starter for Arizona, with his sophomore season the only year he didn't start...and he lost that role to now Tennessee Titan Dane Cruikshank. I caught up with Cooper last week to discuss how his offseason and training have gone, as well as a few other topics. Read on below for the interview. Brandon Combs: How has training gone for you this offseason? How has COVID-19 affected you and your training? Tristan Cooper: "It's actually been really smooth. I decided to stay back in El Paso. I felt like I had everything I wanted back here. You know I was thinking about going to train in California, but it was just very convenient staying here. I have my own car, my own place to stay, dudes are taking care of me. So training was smooth. I didn't really know how, I guess, consistent it would be or frustrating it could get. I was training probably six days a week. Sometimes you have two-a-days, so you'll be on the field or the weight room. It was like 'Dang, okay. I'm back on a schedule that I was really trying to get away from in college.' But you're going to need that again in the NFL. "Just doing that, and with this crisis going on, I told someone else I was battling with some demons on this. I was telling Jace (Whittaker): 'Man of course it would happen our year. What are the odds? What's the luck that we get that this would happen our year? Our Pro Days are probably cancelled. People were saying it's postponed, but it's most likely cancelled.' But Jace was the one that gave me the idea: 'Yeah, I'm doing an individual one in Las Vegas.' I said, 'Oh, that's smart!' It makes perfect sense because the probability of having to reschedule Pro Day is very unlikely. "So doing all that, getting my mind right for that, it was something that was very tough. I got hit with some adversity. But I went through with it and I like my results." Brandon: Speaking of results, what were the results of your Pro Day? Cooper: "I actually did pretty good. I will post a link with my numbers later. But I did pretty well. I will let you know I measured in at 6-foot-2, 201 (pounds). You know they have been putting weight on me down here, which I kind of didn't want to, but I felt good with it. I want to be the fastest, move the best as I possibly can on Pro Day, you know? When I figured out this weight they were putting on me was good, and I was pretty mobile, I kept it. "As for the numbers, I was pretty satisfied with them. However, the weather was a little windy and I live in a desert, so it was a little dusty. So that was one thing that irked me. I was thinking, 'You know what? Maybe I should reschedule it for Tuesday.' I did it Monday. Well, thank God I didn't because they shut everything down on Tuesday. That's when we went into lockdown and all that in El Paso. So that was my luck too." Brandon: During your training this offseason, have any NFL scouts reached out to you and shown interest? Cooper: "They've reached out to my agent, the (Miami) Dolphins and the (San Francisco) 49ers. They were talking about where I am projected. They are all saying undrafted, that someone will pick me up. Which I'll probably be fine going undrafted, you know? I don't feel like I was given enough attention this year, like being able to be on a big watchlist. So I was perfectly fine with undrafted, as long as I make it on a squad. I know I can play ball, my tape shows I can play ball. Film doesn't lie. I'm not really worried a lot about what people say because, at the end of the day, things can switch up. Rounds can switch up, draft picks can switch up. With how all this crazy stuff's going on with this virus, a lot of things can change." Brandon: Now that your college career is over, how do you view your time at Arizona? Cooper: "It taught me a huge lesson. Being from El Paso and a two-star prospect, it was a grind. I love the University of Arizona. Some things I didn't agree with. Some people I enjoyed playing for, some people I didn't. Overall, though, it taught me how to be resilient. That was something that was very hard because I wasn't really hit with much adversity in high school. Everyone in high school is the man on their team. So going there and playing, it was a great experience and an eye-opener. I don't regret anything. I loved going there and playing. I learned a lot and, hopefully, I can continue my career in the NFL and represent Arizona again." Brandon: Personally, what was your favorite play you had while at Arizona? Cooper: "I was, of course, last year's Oregon hit. Everything was going so good in that game. I remember we destroyed them and they were ranked in the to 20 I think. To this day people bring it up. That was something that was very memorable for me. Not just because it was a big hit, but also because we destroyed them. That was something a lot of people never saw coming. I bet you a lot of people on our team didn't even see that coming. Being able to shock the critics and then being able to go celebrate with your team after, which was probably the wildest celebration we had at the University of Arizona while I was there. It was a great experience, the whole night." Brandon: That hit reminded me of Will Parks' hit on Jordan Villamin in 2015. Cooper: "I know! They were like, 'How do you think your hit compares to Will Parks'?' I said, 'You know, I think Will Parks' was a little more savage.' So he'll have that. And he even commented on it, saying things like 'good stuff' and 'keep your head up.' He was just encouraging me. It was cool, but I for sure remember his hit too." Brandon: What do you want NFL teams and scouts to know about what you can bring to the field for them? Cooper: "Of course size. I think I will pass an eye test, but that's not the main thing. I thought my biggest specialty was my physicality and tackling. Go and watch every game this past season, let me know how many tackles I missed. I'm not going to tell you how many I missed because I promise you, it's going to be very hard to find them. When people ask how many tackles I have, I'm going to be real, I don't even count those...I count the ones I miss. Those are the ones I remember play-by-play. What didn't I read right? Being a sure tackler, being physical, being able to play in the box, and being able to guard the tight ends, I feel like I was a pretty good nickel or SPUR. Being able to play in the box, play the slot receiver, just being able to play that great hybrid position." Brandon: What aspect do you feel you have improved upon the most, from your first game as a true freshman to your last against Arizona State? Cooper: "I think being more confident and comfortable. Man-to-man was always a struggle for me. We didn't run much man in high school, so I didn't really get the techniques down. So being able to transition from high school to college was pretty hard for me. But getting with my DB coaches, getting to learn their techniques throughout the years, that really helped me a lot. I was always a pretty good tackler, making sure I got every little thing down with tackling and perfecting it, I thought I did a pretty good job this year. To this day I still want to get my man-to-man a little bit better and my zone coverage, being able to anticipate things a little better. "I did, however, improve my man-to-man a lot, especially since my freshman year. If you watch my freshman film, you'll see how timid I was and how inconsistent I was in my technique. I did give up my only two touchdowns this year in man-to-man, so that sucked. Overall, I thought I did a pretty decent job guarding man-to-man in the slot." Brandon: What message do you have for players who have a dream to play in the NFL? Cooper: "You got to stay focused. For me, battling for my position all four years, you're going to find out if you want it or you don't. I was never content with getting my spot taken. I got my spot taken by a good friend of mine, Dane Cruikshank, my sophomore year. I understand that as big of a competitor I was, I knew that I was going to try to beat him out. Sometimes you just get a dude put in front of you and you're like, 'Damn alright, well I don't think I'm going to beat him out.' Being able to improvise and learn so much from him and his man-to-man coverage. Dane and Jace, they would always break down things for me, especially the man-to-man techniques. "Also, being able to learn little things. You know, even if you do some little things better than your competition, you can also learn a lot from someone else who does certain things better than you do. You got to be able to apply yourself to the book, to the film, things like that. You can't just go out there and be good. Maybe some people can, but that is very rare. Being book smart, as well as football smart, is a big thing for me." Cooper is a very detail oriented, studious player that has a legit chance to be picked up during free agent signings after the draft.
I really like his physicality and tackling ability that he brings to the field. He was not lying when he stated he doesn't miss a lot of tackles, often finishing plays where the carrier already broke free from another defender. His coverage game definitely has taken multiple steps up from when he arrived to campus as well. His junior season was extremely impressive from a coverage standpoint, finishing that year with a career-high six pass breakups. I wish Tristan the best of luck in his endeavors as he works his way to fulfilling his dream of playing in the NFL!
(Photo via @OttoHess1 on Twitter)
Despite the halt to pretty much everything worldwide due to the COVID-19 pandemic, schools have continued to actively recruit and send out offers to new prospects for the 2021 class...and Arizona is no exception.
Arizona's staff has been studiously reviewing prospects and film during this time, and it has led to the Wildcats extending offers to several recruits. One such offer went out to Oswego High School offensive lineman Otto Hess in Illinois. Offensive line coach Kyle DeVan is well aware of the 'Cats' need to add more linemen this cycle, making the offer to Hess one of significance. DeVan has been an aggressive recruiter since joining Arizona's staff last year, and he continues to show that same style of assertiveness this year. During the 2020 cycle, Arizona added three offensive lineman and a transfer to their roster. That number of additions was more than we typically saw under the previous regime and shows that UA understands that recruiting linemen is a priority. This continued prioritization is exactly what Arizona will need to continue to build up the necessary depth of their offensive front and make a run at the Pac-12 South and more. They are hoping that Hess can help with that success. Read on below for my interview with Hess. Brandon Combs: How many offers are you up to? Otto Hess: "I'm standing at 11 as of right now." Brandon: Out of those offers, which schools are standing out to you? Hess: "Arizona, UVA (Virginia), and some MAC schools stand out. However, because I'm still in the middle of all this, I'm not necessarily narrowing it down yet." Brandon: What makes those particular schools stand out over the others this early in the process? Hess: "Well a couple of the MAC schools stand out because of their attention towards me. The same for UVA and Arizona, but they are Power 5 schools outside the Midwest." Brandon: What visits, if any, have you taken so far? Do you have any visits in mind once you are able to visit campuses again? Hess: "I've only visited Miami (OH), but they've filled up very fast. Definitely want to go to UVA, and Arizona wants me to come out for an official (visit), so definitely them as well. Others might pop up." Brandon: When it comes to the Arizona visit, do you have an idea of what you'll be looking for once you get to campus? Hess: "Just to see how I fit into the energy on campus and how the whole place fits me as a person honestly. I can't really put it into words, but wherever I go, just has to feel right." Brandon: How did your offer from Arizona come about? Hess: "Coach (Kyle) DeVan has followed me on Twitter for awhile, but we talked for about a day. Then he reached out to my coach, and after a conversation with him, he offered me." Brandon: How is your relationship with Coach DeVan? What does he say he likes about your game and what you could bring to Arizona? Hess: "He likes how I finish blocks and move laterally. Plus he likes that I have a high football IQ and that I carry myself well off the field." Brandon: Last cycle, Arizona signed a defensive lineman from Chicago in Shontrail Key. Being from the Chicago area yourself, what does it mean to you that Arizona, a West Coast school, is interested and actively recruiting players from Chicago and the Midwest? Hess: "It means a lot because I've always wanted to go out West, but that's always difficult from the Midwest. Plus, it's nice to hear people think that Midwest football is better and tougher because that's the truth." Brandon: When it comes to making a commitment, what are you looking for in a school? Do you have a time frame in mind to come to a decision? Hess: "I'm looking for a great academic experience, coaches I relate with, and the opportunity to compete for playing time regardless of how old I am...obviously redshirt year not included. And at this point I honestly don't know my timetable." Brandon: Finally, what aspects of your game are you looking to improve this offseason? Hess: "Mostly my strength and overall athleticism, especially upper body strength and losing fat. I want to be as physically dominant as I can this season." One thing that stands out to me about Hess' game is one of the things Kyle DeVan likes: his ability to finish blocks. Hess is very competitive, which was evident when I talked to him, and that is not a bad thing at all. You want that type of competitive spirit in an offensive lineman and a football player in general. He plays with a nastiness to his game, which also feeds into him finishing blocks. Plus, he also has a knack for setting a good edge for his skill players on his side of the field. Overall, a solid player who has a large amount of upside and some good tools in his possession. Junior Season: (Photo via Arizona Athletics) With the Arizona Wildcats a week down in Spring Practice and practice currently on hold, I figured now would be a good time to start a series looking at high impact players, players poised for breakout seasons, and instant impact newcomers. Today, let's start with 5 high impact players on Noel Mazzone's side of the ball.
Grant Gunnell, Sophomore QB 2019 Stats: 8 games, 101-for-155, 1,239 yards, 9 TD, 1 INT; 32 car, 14 yards, 1 TD There's no other place to start then Arizona's signal caller. Gunnell lit up the Texas High School football scene and did a fantastic job during his playing time in 2019. He even led the 'Cats to a victory in his first career start against UCLA. He flashed great touch, vision, and decision-making, especially for a true freshman. This season, Gunnell enters Spring Practice as the de facto number one player in the QB room. The starting job is his to lose, and to be honest, I don't see that happening. He has a fierce competitive side, but one that is beneficial instead of detrimental. Behind him you have veteran Rhett Rodriguez, redshirt sophomore Kevin Doyle, and newcomer Will Plummer. That is a fantastic QB room. I'd expect to see an uptick in QB play this year and expect the ball to be spread all over the field. Gunnell is going to surprise some people this year. Gary Brightwell, Senior RB 2019 Stats: 11 games, 66 car, 390 yards, 5 TD; 4 rec, 59 yards, 1 TD I'm really eager to see how Brightwell performs this season. This'll be the first time in his career that he'll be RB1 after J.J. Taylor left to pursue his NFL dream. The RB room is possibly Arizona's deepest position group on the team, but that'll only help Brightwell. He will be complimented by a number of different running styles that'll only make the group even more dangerous. Brightwell also has great size and has proven to be a difficult player to tackle. My favorite part of his running style is when he gets in the open field and uses his speed to outrun everyone. Speaking of speed, Brightwell is one of the fastest players on the team and has shown incredible explosiveness. He created a dynamic one-two punch with J.J. and I expect him to continue his production, if not increase it. Jamarye Joiner, Redshirt Sophomore WR 2019 Stats: 12 games, 34 rec, 552 yards, 5 TD There is probably no one's progress and growth I'm more excited to see than Joiner's. He is arguably the best athlete on the team, which made his transition from quarterback to receiver extremely easy. Last season it felt like it was a matter of time before he had a breakout game and it finally came during the last game of the season during the T-Cup. Right now he's dealing with a Jones fracture in his foot and has yet to practice this spring. This extended break will do nothing but help his healing and get him back on the field once practice starts again. Even with the injury Joiner will be one of the most important receivers this year, once healthy. He has such a high ceiling and has yet to fully tap into his potential as a receiver. His speed and dynamic playmaking ability make him one of the most dangerous receivers in the Pac-12. I expect a large jump in his progression this offseason and into the season, especially with Gunnell behind center. Donovan Laie, Junior OL 2019 Stats: 12 games, 12 starts Laie has been a staple on the offensive line since arriving on campus. He busted onto the scene as a true freshman after fall camp and became one of the best young offensive linemen in the Pac-12. He did have somewhat of a sophomore slump last year but was still a very good lineman. He was a little dinged up so that could explain his perceived slump. Laie also showed some versatility as he moved inside to left guard from left tackle. Laie is an NFL talent in my opinion. I feel that he will make a big jump in his game this season and have his best year yet. He recently expressed his feelings on Spring Ball being postponed, and I can't help but think he'll use that as motivation this season. Josh McCauley, Redshirt Senior OL 2019 Stats: 10 games, 10 starts Last but not least, we come to scholarship offensive lineman Josh McCauley. He is another great story as he came to a Arizona as a walk-on and earned a scholarship because of his play and work ethic. McCauley earned the starting gig at center in 2018 after Nathan Eldridge was unable to go because of a knee injury...and he made the most of that opportunity. He started all games in 2018 and cemented himself as a leader on the offensive line. Fast-forward to the 2019 offseason and McCauley was awarded a scholarship for all of his hard work. And man, he is someone who deserves it. He was injured during the Oregon State game and the offensive line suffered without him and his leadership. McCauley's also extremely tough, playing in the Territorial Cup still injured. McCauley figures to, once again, be a major leader in the trenches for the offensive line this season. I believe that if he has a great year he can position himself to become an NFL draft pick. Who do you feel are Arizona's high impact players on offense this coming season? Feel free to comment!
(Photo via Hudl)
For the Arizona Wildcats, the 2020 recruiting cycle is in the rear view mirror, for the most part. And with that the staff's attention will turn to the 2021 class.
Last year, offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone stated that he is looking to add at least one quarterback every cycle. In 2019, the 'Cats added Grant Gunnell. For the 2020 class, Will Plummer. The 2021 cycle is still young, but Arizona's recruitment of QB's isn't. One player UA is sitting well with is Texas-based gunslinger Jalen Kitna, son of former NFL QB Jon Kitna. Mazzone and Arizona offered Kitna at the beginning of February and have quickly made a good impression with the talented prospect. Read on below for my interview with Kitna. AZDS: How many offers do you have? Kitna: "I have 11." AZDS: Out of those offers, who is standing out the most right now? Kitna: "Right now Florida, Arizona, and Oregon State have stood out the most. I'm still getting to know some of these other schools better, but I have had really good conversations with those three as of right now." AZDS: Concerning those three schools, what stands out about them over the others? Kitna: "Well the coaching staffs for those schools have been very communicative with me. I have made good connections with all the offensive coordinators and we have really hit it off in terms of talking ball and about the team." AZDS: What visits have you taken? Do you have any visits lined up this spring and summer? Kitna: "I was up in the Portland (Oregon) area this week and go to go to Oregon State for a little bit and visit with them. I am planning to go to Florida and Arizona coming up this spring break." AZDS: Concerning Arizona, have you set a date for your visit yet? What will you be looking for while on campus in Tucson? Kitna: "I believe the date is the 18th (of March). I'm looking to talk ball with Coach (Noel) Mazzone. I'm going to get to experience a full practice day and get to hang with the QBs. I'm really excited and can't wait to learn about their scheme and see the way they develop their athletes." AZDS: You mentioned have a good relationship with Noel Mazzone. How do those conversations go? Kitna: "He's a really fun guy, you know? Easy to talk to and really confident. He's got a lot of experience under his belt." AZDS: What does Noel Mazzone like about your game and what you could bring to Arizona? Kitna: "He likes my footwork and just how I rip the ball. The Lord has blessed me with a great talent to pick up things really well and learn fast. That's what he said he likes, I'm still growing and still developing and getting better." AZDS: Do you have a date or time frame for your commitment? When that time comes, what are you looking for in a school? Kitna: "I'm looking to commit in the summer after my official visits. I think God will reveal to me the place He wants me to be after those visits. I'm just looking for a place that will allow me to grow physically, mentally, and spiritually. I have big dreams and I know how important it is to have people around you that want the best for you and truly care about your success and your grind." AZDS: Finally, what aspects of your game are you looking to improve upon this offseason? Kitna: "I'm working on tightening up my throwing motion a little and just being sudden and playing fast. I've been doing a lot of training for speed and explosiveness so far this offseason. Just looking to use that to my advantage." Flipping on Kitna's film makes it very easy to see what Noel Mazzone likes about him. He has a great frame, sitting at 6-foot-4 and around 190 pounds. He has a big, accurate arm and can make just about any throw. Much like Gunnell and Plummer, Kitna can make plays with his legs if needed. I'm interested to see how his visit goes and to see how that impacts his recruitment. Junior Highlights:
(Photo via @ParisShand on Twitter)
Arizona added a raw, but underrated, edge player in Paris Shand in early February. Much like Shontrail Key, Shand has a background in basketball and hasn't been playing football for very long. But that doesn't seem to be much of an issue as the big, athletic defensive end is an effective and successful pass rusher. In fact, Gabe and I really enjoy watching his film and are very interested to see how he translates to the Pac-12.
Read on below to learn more about Arizona's third international player added in 2020. Favorite Food: “Probably shrimp. I really like them with mashed potatoes or pasta.” Favorite Music Artist: “My favorite artist is Drake.” Hobbies: “I like to play basketball and video games.” Favorite Sports Team/Pro Athlete: “I like the Toronto Raptors. My favorite athlete is LeBron James.” Biggest Supporter Throughout Your Career: “Definitely my mom.” What You Like Most About Playing Football: “Definitely the contact. In basketball you got to be more casual of fouls and stuff like that.” Fondest Memory of High School Career: “Scoring from offensive tackle. I had to play both ways this year. They ran a trick play where the ball was passed back to me and I ran for a touchdown.” Paris' Thoughts on Being a Wildcat: “I'm grateful to be a Wildcat and join something special with a team that I think has the potential to do great things.” Career Highlights: Howdy, gang!
Been quite some time since I've jumped on the site but we're back!! I'm getting back into things by highlighting three 2020 signees who are ranked outside the 1,000 by recruiting services, but well within the top 1,000 in my personal rankings. These three didn’t have a whole lot of action during their recruitment process but I truly believe these are three of Arizona’s top prospects overall out of the 19 that they signed. Stacey Marshall Jr. Arizona lost long-time tight end commit Drake Dabney fairly late in the process. At the time he was Arizona’s highest-ranked prospect. A top 600 kid with over a dozen very solid Power Five offers. The staff rebounds with Stacey Marshall, out of Hutchinson Community College. A huge upgrade at the position in my opinion. The tight end has not been utilized in Noel Mazzone’s offense over the last two years, which is a shame considering how well Bryce Wolma performed as a true freshman two seasons ago. The staff elected not to recruit a tight end in the 2019 class, so hopefully Marshall now gives the offense the type of tight end they want to implement. Marshall comes in with a great frame at 6-foot-5, 255-pounds. He’s a complete tight end coming from a championship junior college program. He’s strong, physical and a great blocker. He’ll be able to stay on the field in all situations thank to his athleticism and pass catching abilities. At the time of his commitment, Marshall was a two-star prospect. He has since jumped up to three-star status, but ranks just inside the top 200 in regard to junior college prospects. 247Sports has him outside the top 250. Arizona was his only Power Five offer. I truly think Arizona gets a steal here. Marshall is complete player that has all the tools to be successful during his short time at Arizona. It’s going to hurt so bad when Arizona continues to fail at utilizing a tight end. Josh Baker I love Josh Baker. I hate to put lofty expectations on a guy who hasn’t even stepped foot on campus but I think he is Arizona’s best NFL prospect of this class and will come in and dominate. He’s built well at 6-foot-3, 280-pounds and moves extremely well. You can tell he is very well-coached by his footwork, hand placement and balance. He has such an extremely high floor entering the program to begin with and he can only go up with coaching by Kyle DeVan. I love Josh Baker as the immediate replacement for Josh McCauley at center after the 2020 season and if necessary he could play guard as well. I’m surprised his offer list didn’t grow after his senior season, as his only Power Five offers were Illinois and Kansas. This was a really good find by the staff to tap into Missouri and land Baker. To me he’s Arizona’s third highest prospect of this class and I’d peg him as a 650 prospect. Recruiting services have him ranked outside the top 1,100 overall, but I think 247Sports individual ranking is spot on at 680. Derick Mourning Derick Mourning looks like he is ready to play Pac-12 football. He might the most college-ready prospect of the 2020 class. He is a perfect fit for the new 3-4 defense coming off the edge with a terrific frame at 6-foot-1, 210 pounds. He is extremely quick, has great athleticism and speed. He understands where the play is flowing and can track the ball down easily. He has all the traits to be a successful edge player. The position group is very young and talented, but depending on how the staff switches up the personnel, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Mourning playing significant reps as a true freshman. He’s ranked just inside the top 1,200 overall, No. 78 among all outside linebackers and No. 147 among players in Texas. I agree far more with the folks at 247Sports on his ranking once again, as they have him just inside the 750. Arizona was his only Power Five offer as he was clearing up some academic issues which slowed down his recruitment. The staff takes a chance here but the upside is incredible with Mourning.
(Photo via @LeifMags on Twitter)
When you think of big, nasty offensive linemen a lot of people don't think of Canada. But that's exactly what Arizona got in offensive lineman Leif Magnuson. His father also played football in the Pac-12 at Washington State when Kevin Sumlin was a coach there. That previous relationship and Leif's relationship with Arizona OL coach Kyle DeVan sealed the deal for aggressive lineman.
Read on to learn more about Magnuson. Favorite Food: "Steak, medium rare." Favorite Music Artist: "My favorite music artist is Roddy Rich." Hobbies: "Cooking, chess, and music. I'm great at making breakfast and wraps and such." Favorite Sports Team/Pro Athlete: "The (Seattle) Seahawks. My favorite athlete is Rob Gronkowski." Biggest Supporter Throughout Your Career: "Absolutely my parents, but my dad has been the biggest supporter. He's been there every step of the way." What You Like Most About Playing Football: "Man it's about dominating your opponent, whether that's 1v1 or as a team. But team is everything. I love the camaraderie and fighting together to win no matter what." Fondest Memory of Your Football Career: "Winning the Canadian National Championship with my U18 team, TeamSask in 2018." Major: "I'm torn between marketing and criminal justice. Probably marketing (business) though." Leif's Thoughts on Being a Wildcat: "Man, what a great place to be! I love that Gronk went there and it's in the Pac-12. A great history there. Got to turn things around and get back to winning 8, 9, 10 games. I'm hoping my class will be the ones to help out with that." Career Highlights: Senior Season:
Junior Season:
Sophomore Season:
(Photo via @djmourning on Twitter)
The Arizona Wildcats added a second impressive linebacker in 3-star Derick Mourning. He didn’t have an offer list that pops out at you, but don’t let that fool you. He has the size and skillset to be successful in the Pac-12. There were some academic issues, which caused his recruitment to slow down. But those appear to be resolved and it’s to Arizona’s benefit. Mourning is a great addition to the class.
Read on below to learn more about Mourning. Favorite Food: “Hamburgers.” Favorite Music Artist: “My favorite artist is Gunna.” Hobbies: “Lifting weights and playing video games.” Favorite Sports Team/Pro Athlete: “I like the (Houston) Texans and my favorite athlete is Jadeveon Clowney. I’ve been watching him since he was in high school.” Biggest Supporter Throughout Your Career: “Both my mom and dad.” What You Like Most About Playing Football: “The competition.” Fondest Memory of High School Career: “Catching a pick six in my first varsity game.” Major: “I actually wanted to major in kinesiology but they don’t have it so I’m in search of a new major.” Derick’s Thoughts on Being a Wildcat: “I’m really excited! I’ll get the opportunity to play early and It’ll be nice to face better competition.” Career Highlights Senior Season:
Junior Season:
Sophomore Season:
Howdy folks.
Back to bringing you some content on this site. This time I just wanted to get out my thoughts from the spring game. I'll be honest, I was very excited for the game and to see all of the moving pieces, but it was not very entertaining at all. Maybe it's because the play wasn't great, but I at least figured the personnel part would be more interesting. At this moment, I think there is still a lot of competition, but no one truly standing out to get excited about. I'm just going to run through position by position with my thoughts. Quarterback: Pretty meh performance from the group here. The offensive line was very inconsistent so there were a lot of plays that probably should have been called for sacks and there were times were quarterbacks had so much time but receivers were not getting open. Tate probably should have been picked off on his only throw but oh well. You know what you're getting with Rhett and there wasn't too much going on there. Grant Gunnell was third up, and given the way the rest of the quarterbacks stacked up I'd say this is probably the true order. Good movement in the pocket, good accuracy but threw a lot of balls away, which could also be attributed to receivers not getting open. Joiner didn't look great and Doyle was last to get reps in and seemed very off on timing, which might also be due to the receivers, but nonetheless. Running backs: Interesting group. We know Taylor is the workhorse. Gary Brightwell put together a couple of nice plays and I think this is a big year for him to jump. Darrius had some decent runs but it was Nathan Tilford who started to grind out some runs and ran hard. At this point you're just hopeful DeMarco Murrary can extract that talent and put him on the field. Receivers: Oh boy where to start. There were a lot of receivers who were named this off-season as surprises. Cedric Peterson is your No. 1 although I'm still convinced he'll be anywhere as reliable as any of the top three receivers from a year ago. Then you'll definitely have Jalen Curry take over another starting spot. Drew Dixon, Brian Casteel, Tre Adams and Jaiden Mitchell all seem like they'll crack the rotation. Dixon has a big, strong body you want outside. Casteel has slimmed down and has great playmaking ability. Adams is a smooth, well-rounded receiver and Mitchell has bounced back from his ACL tear and has been one of the most impressive receivers this spring. I love Casteel returning punts, Dixon looked good out there, Adams came down with a couple of snags and Mitchell had quite a few targets. Tight ends: Bryce Wolma as been held out, Jake Peters didn't have a whole lot of action from what I remember, but I also just face the fact that tight ends are dead in this offense. Zach Williams who is officially a receiver now did get some targets but nothing too impressive. Offensive line: Another interest group. I love what Paiton Fears does at right tackle. He got beat pretty badly by Jalen Harris at times but that's one of the best pass rushers in the Pac-12. It's surprising to see Edgar Burrola in the mix at right tackle. I don't think I expected much from him arriving to campus, but he's in the mix. Scholarship center Josh McCauley looked good. Donovan Laie looked fine, although the edge was bringing it on defense. A very inconsistent group right now but after last years spring game we thought the offensive line was going to be terrible and well, it was really good last season. Defensive line: This was the most interesting position group to watch. They are basically playing defensive ends all across the line and it actually seemed to work. I love having a combination of Justin Belknap, JB Brown, Nahe Sulunga and Jalen Harris on the line, or throw in Finton Connolly for Nahe Sulunga and Jalen Cochran for JB Brown. The point is, I think the movement of guys inside and outside makes the line much better than it actually is. I love the movement and the stunts that the defense can use with this. Oh and Kylan Wilborn. They ran a front with Wilborn, Sulunga, Tapusoa and Harris. Yes please. Add Tapusoa, who is banked up right now, and Trevon Mason, who comes in this summer and it will be a good group, or at least better than I would have expected. Linebackers: I don't think that there is any depth here outside of the top four and there isn't a whole lot of help coming in the summer either with Kwabena Watson coming in as a defensive end, although I'm positive that Eddiue Siaumau could play weakside. Derrion Clark is a nice, instinctive player, but we'll see how it pans out. Anyways, Colin Schooler will hardly be off the field. I wasn't terribly impressed with Dayven Coleman, but he can take a few reps off Schooler. Tony Fields hopefully has a bounce back season but my breakout guy of 2019 is Anthony Pandy. He got no recognition in the spring but looked great in the spring game coming off the edge. I think this is the time he takes the leap. Cornerback: McKenzie Barnes stole the show. He looks like a smaller version of Jalen Harris. Just super long and fast. I'm a little disappointed Maurice Gaines didn't get mentioned this spring and didn't do a whole lot in the spring game. Troy Young got a lot of reps at corner so it seems like he'll stay there. He can play anywhere in the secondary but I like him at corner. Malik Hausman wasn't very impressive. Chris Roland-Wallace has had a great spring and I imagine he'll get reps. Safety: Pretty quiet group. They covered the receivers well at the next level. But this group seems pretty solid to begin with and not a lot of question marks. So now I'm interested in seeing how Bobby Wolfe is used. Corner looks good with Barnes there and if Roland-Wallace turns up then you're set. Safety has a set two-deep (Cooper/Bell, S Young/J Wallace, C Young/C Ulloa, plus you have Jaxen Turner coming in and Rhedi Short still back there as well. |