Arizona lost its second verbal commitment in as many days Friday when defensive end Ja’Marian Peterson announced he was reopening his recruitment.
Peterson is a three-star prospect from New Orleans. He holds offers from several other Power Five programs, including Boston College, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Purdue and Washington State.
“I would like to start by saying that it has been a great pleasure and opportunity to have been recruited by the University of Arizona and all its coaches and staff, Coach (Stan) Eggen in particular,” Peterson posted on Twitter. “With all the respect and love I have ... it is with a heavy heart that I am decommitting and reopening my recruitment.”
On Thursday, another defensive end, Ja’Quez Harvey of Los Angeles, also decommitted.
Arizona currently has 21 players in its 2021 class. It remains to be seen whether Kevin Sumlin and his staff can hold the class together as losses mount on the field for the ’20 Wildcats. They’re 0-3 heading into Saturday’s game against Colorado.
The early signing period starts Dec. 16, and the expectation within the recruiting industry has been that more prospects would bail on their commitments than ever before. Recruits can’t take visits during the pandemic, and coaches can’t meet with them in person. That has created an air of uncertainty around the ’21 class across the nation.
