Drama is expected when Arizona Wildcats tussle with power programs for recruits
- Updated
While the Wildcats are often in the running for highly-rated recruits, reeling them in has proven difficult.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
When four-star athlete Greg Johnson decommitted in December, the Arizona Wildcats lost their highest-rated recruit.
The UA lost perhaps its most important recruit earlier this month, when four-star quarterback Braxton Burmeister flipped to Oregon just one day before school began.
Those two events underscore the battle UA coach Rich Rodriguez and his staff have dealt with since 2012.
While the Wildcats are often in the running for highly-rated recruits, reeling them in has proven difficult.
In Rodriguezβs first recruiting class, Arizona was a finalist for four-star athlete Devin Fuller. The New Jersey native instead picked UCLA.
The UA pushed hard for five-star defensive tackle Kahlil McKenzie in 2015. McKenzie listed Arizona among his final two choices β and then picked Tennessee.
Arizona was recently the favorite to land four-star cornerback Thomas Graham. He chose Oregon.
Arizona is always going to have trouble pulling recruits away from powerhouse programs.
But trying can pay off, as the Wildcats learned last week. Tempe defensive end My-King Johnson committed to Arizona, seemingly out of the blue. He appeared destined for USC, UCLA, Oregon or Texas A&M.
“When those schools show you interest by offering, it’s usually a done deal,” said Scout.com’s Blair Angulo. “I think he was always looking, or wanted, to stay close to home.”
Here’s a look at the five wildest recruiting sagas of the Rodriguez era, listed in order of recruit ranking. All ratings according to Scout.com.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
From:Β Shreveport, Louisiana (Cavalry Baptist Academy)
Position:Β Quarterback
Rating:Β Five stars, No. 4 overall player, No. 1 quarterback
Committed to Arizona?Β Yes
Final destination:Β Mississippi
Timeline:Β Committed to Arizona on Dec. 7, 2012; decommitted from Arizona on July 28, 2014; committed to Ole Miss on Feb. 17, 2015
What happened:Β Patterson was a high school freshman when he committed to the UA. The Wildcats hired Pattersonβs brother, Sean, in a graduate assistant role in 2014. Arizona soon added commitments from two of Pattersonβs high school teammates: running back Orlando Bradford and receiver Shun Brown. That summer, Sean Patterson left for a job at LSU and not long after, Shea Patterson decommitted from the Wildcats, with the assumption heβd flip to the Tigers. Instead he wound up at Mississippi, with his brother eventually joining him. Patterson has so far lived up to the hype: He started a few games this past season as a true freshman.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
From:Β Washington, D.C. (Edison-Friendship Public Charter School)
Position:Β Cornerback
Rating:Β Four stars, No. 41 overall player, No. 5 cornerback, No. 2 in the East, No. 1 in Washington, D.C.
Committed to Arizona?Β Yes
Final destination:Β Florida
Timeline:Β Visited Arizona on Nov. 15, 2013; committed to Arizona on Jan. 2, 2014; flips commitment to Florida on Jan. 9, 2014
What happened:Β Arizona shocked the recruiting world when the Tabor went on national television during the Under Armour All-America Game and put on an Arizona hat, picking UA over the likes of Alabama and Florida. Just one week later, Tabor flipped his commitment to Florida β reportedly, Taborβs mother preferred the Gators. Since, Tabor changed his name from Jalen to βTeez.β By any name, heβs been a star. Tabor recently declared early for the NFL draft; heβs a likely first-round pick.Β
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
From:Β Scottsdale (Chaparral High School)
Position:Β Cornerback
Rating:Β Four stars, No. 74 overall palyer, No. 5 cornerback, No. 2 in the West, No. 1 in Arizona
Committed to Arizona?Β Yes
Final destination:Β Arizona, with a stopover Notre Dame
Timeline:Β Neal visited Arizona on Feb. 10, 2012; Neal committed to Notre Dame on Feb. 21, 2012; Neal transfers from Notre Dame to Arizona on June 5, 2013
What happened:Β Neal was one of the most highly-touted recruits to ever come out of Arizona, and he had the drama to match his high pedigree. Neal was set to announce his decision in front of hundreds of elementary school students on Feb. 21, 2012, three weeks after signing day. Neal never showed up, and the event was cancelled. Reports a the time indicated that Neal wanted to go to Arizona while his father wanted him to play at Notre Dame. The Irish won out, although Neal only spent one season there before transferring back to the UA.Β
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
From:Β La Jolla, California (Country Day School)
Position:Β Quarterback
Rating:Β Four stars, No. 20 quarterback, No. 7 in the West, No. 3 in California
Committed to Arizona?Β Yes
Final destination:Β Oregon
Timeline:Β Arizona offered Burmeisterβs his first scholarship on Oct. 23, 2014; Burmeister committed to Arizona on Nov. 13, 2014; Burmeister re-opens his recruitment on March 11, 2016; Burmeister re-commits to Arizona on May 13, 2016, and says he plans to enroll early; Oregon offers Burmeister a scholarship on Jan. 4; Burmeister flips to Oregon on Jan. 13.
What happened:Β This oneβs a doozy. Burmeister committed to the Wildcats before his sophomore season of high school. Burmeister stayed committed for two years before re-opening his recruitment last March. After checking out a couple schools, he came back to Arizona in May. Then Oregon fired coach Mark Helfrich and hired Willie Taggart, Taggart began offering players in the West and al hell broke loose. On Jan. 7, Burmeisterβs parents told the Star he still planned to attend Arizona. That night, rumors surfaced he was flipping to Oregon. Following six days of silence, Burmeister β who trained under former Ducks QB Akili Smith as a high-schooler β flipped to Oregon.Β
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
From:Β Long Beach City College
Position:Β Defensive line
Rating:Β Three stars
Committed toΒ Arizona? Yes
Final destination:Β Unknown
Timeline:Β Allen committed to Arizona on July 18, 2015; Allen re-opens his recruitment on Nov. 1, 2015; Allen re-commits to Arizona on Feb. 2, 2016; Allen is deemed academically ineligible on July 27, 2016, and he returns to LBCC.
What happened:Β Allen committed to Arizona in the summer of 2015 as one of the top junior college recruits in the nation. Allen was schedule for an official visit to Arizona that September, but missed his flight. In November, he re-opened his recruitment. Over the next couple months, Allen claimed to received scholarship offers from Miami and LSU, with interest from UCLA, though reports indicated that wasnβt true. He re-committed to Arizona last February, too late to enroll early, then was ruled academically ineligible. Now, heβs considering offers from Houston, Marshall, Iowa State and Kansas. Arizona is not though to be interested in another reunion.Β
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Arizona offered a scholarship to Mater Dei, California punter Ryan Stonehouse on Friday. Stonehouse, considered by many to be the top punter recruit in the nation, told the Star heβs βstronglyβ considering taking a visit to Arizona before Signing Day.Β
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
When four-star athlete Greg Johnson decommitted in December, the Arizona Wildcats lost their highest-rated recruit.
The UA lost perhaps its most important recruit earlier this month, when four-star quarterback Braxton Burmeister flipped to Oregon just one day before school began.
Those two events underscore the battle UA coach Rich Rodriguez and his staff have dealt with since 2012.
While the Wildcats are often in the running for highly-rated recruits, reeling them in has proven difficult.
In Rodriguezβs first recruiting class, Arizona was a finalist for four-star athlete Devin Fuller. The New Jersey native instead picked UCLA.
The UA pushed hard for five-star defensive tackle Kahlil McKenzie in 2015. McKenzie listed Arizona among his final two choices β and then picked Tennessee.
Arizona was recently the favorite to land four-star cornerback Thomas Graham. He chose Oregon.
Arizona is always going to have trouble pulling recruits away from powerhouse programs.
But trying can pay off, as the Wildcats learned last week. Tempe defensive end My-King Johnson committed to Arizona, seemingly out of the blue. He appeared destined for USC, UCLA, Oregon or Texas A&M.
“When those schools show you interest by offering, it’s usually a done deal,” said Scout.com’s Blair Angulo. “I think he was always looking, or wanted, to stay close to home.”
Here’s a look at the five wildest recruiting sagas of the Rodriguez era, listed in order of recruit ranking. All ratings according to Scout.com.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
From:Β Shreveport, Louisiana (Cavalry Baptist Academy)
Position:Β Quarterback
Rating:Β Five stars, No. 4 overall player, No. 1 quarterback
Committed to Arizona?Β Yes
Final destination:Β Mississippi
Timeline:Β Committed to Arizona on Dec. 7, 2012; decommitted from Arizona on July 28, 2014; committed to Ole Miss on Feb. 17, 2015
What happened:Β Patterson was a high school freshman when he committed to the UA. The Wildcats hired Pattersonβs brother, Sean, in a graduate assistant role in 2014. Arizona soon added commitments from two of Pattersonβs high school teammates: running back Orlando Bradford and receiver Shun Brown. That summer, Sean Patterson left for a job at LSU and not long after, Shea Patterson decommitted from the Wildcats, with the assumption heβd flip to the Tigers. Instead he wound up at Mississippi, with his brother eventually joining him. Patterson has so far lived up to the hype: He started a few games this past season as a true freshman.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
From:Β Washington, D.C. (Edison-Friendship Public Charter School)
Position:Β Cornerback
Rating:Β Four stars, No. 41 overall player, No. 5 cornerback, No. 2 in the East, No. 1 in Washington, D.C.
Committed to Arizona?Β Yes
Final destination:Β Florida
Timeline:Β Visited Arizona on Nov. 15, 2013; committed to Arizona on Jan. 2, 2014; flips commitment to Florida on Jan. 9, 2014
What happened:Β Arizona shocked the recruiting world when the Tabor went on national television during the Under Armour All-America Game and put on an Arizona hat, picking UA over the likes of Alabama and Florida. Just one week later, Tabor flipped his commitment to Florida β reportedly, Taborβs mother preferred the Gators. Since, Tabor changed his name from Jalen to βTeez.β By any name, heβs been a star. Tabor recently declared early for the NFL draft; heβs a likely first-round pick.Β
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
From:Β Scottsdale (Chaparral High School)
Position:Β Cornerback
Rating:Β Four stars, No. 74 overall palyer, No. 5 cornerback, No. 2 in the West, No. 1 in Arizona
Committed to Arizona?Β Yes
Final destination:Β Arizona, with a stopover Notre Dame
Timeline:Β Neal visited Arizona on Feb. 10, 2012; Neal committed to Notre Dame on Feb. 21, 2012; Neal transfers from Notre Dame to Arizona on June 5, 2013
What happened:Β Neal was one of the most highly-touted recruits to ever come out of Arizona, and he had the drama to match his high pedigree. Neal was set to announce his decision in front of hundreds of elementary school students on Feb. 21, 2012, three weeks after signing day. Neal never showed up, and the event was cancelled. Reports a the time indicated that Neal wanted to go to Arizona while his father wanted him to play at Notre Dame. The Irish won out, although Neal only spent one season there before transferring back to the UA.Β
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
From:Β La Jolla, California (Country Day School)
Position:Β Quarterback
Rating:Β Four stars, No. 20 quarterback, No. 7 in the West, No. 3 in California
Committed to Arizona?Β Yes
Final destination:Β Oregon
Timeline:Β Arizona offered Burmeisterβs his first scholarship on Oct. 23, 2014; Burmeister committed to Arizona on Nov. 13, 2014; Burmeister re-opens his recruitment on March 11, 2016; Burmeister re-commits to Arizona on May 13, 2016, and says he plans to enroll early; Oregon offers Burmeister a scholarship on Jan. 4; Burmeister flips to Oregon on Jan. 13.
What happened:Β This oneβs a doozy. Burmeister committed to the Wildcats before his sophomore season of high school. Burmeister stayed committed for two years before re-opening his recruitment last March. After checking out a couple schools, he came back to Arizona in May. Then Oregon fired coach Mark Helfrich and hired Willie Taggart, Taggart began offering players in the West and al hell broke loose. On Jan. 7, Burmeisterβs parents told the Star he still planned to attend Arizona. That night, rumors surfaced he was flipping to Oregon. Following six days of silence, Burmeister β who trained under former Ducks QB Akili Smith as a high-schooler β flipped to Oregon.Β
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
From:Β Long Beach City College
Position:Β Defensive line
Rating:Β Three stars
Committed toΒ Arizona? Yes
Final destination:Β Unknown
Timeline:Β Allen committed to Arizona on July 18, 2015; Allen re-opens his recruitment on Nov. 1, 2015; Allen re-commits to Arizona on Feb. 2, 2016; Allen is deemed academically ineligible on July 27, 2016, and he returns to LBCC.
What happened:Β Allen committed to Arizona in the summer of 2015 as one of the top junior college recruits in the nation. Allen was schedule for an official visit to Arizona that September, but missed his flight. In November, he re-opened his recruitment. Over the next couple months, Allen claimed to received scholarship offers from Miami and LSU, with interest from UCLA, though reports indicated that wasnβt true. He re-committed to Arizona last February, too late to enroll early, then was ruled academically ineligible. Now, heβs considering offers from Houston, Marshall, Iowa State and Kansas. Arizona is not though to be interested in another reunion.Β
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
Arizona offered a scholarship to Mater Dei, California punter Ryan Stonehouse on Friday. Stonehouse, considered by many to be the top punter recruit in the nation, told the Star heβs βstronglyβ considering taking a visit to Arizona before Signing Day.Β
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