Much like its college counterpart, high school football is unbalanced. Certain states have already played a decent chunk of games, while others are just now beginning — or won’t start until 2021.
Schools in California and Washington have not started their seasons because of COVID-19 concerns. That means eight of the Arizona Wildcats’ 23 commits for the 2021 recruiting class have yet to play. The group includes highly touted quarterback Clay Millen, linebackers DJ Fryar and linebacker James Bohls, defensive end Ja’Quez Harvey and Alex Navarro-Silva, center JT Hand, safety Logan Kraut and defensive tackle Evan Branch-Haynes.
Arizona’s two commits from Illinois, linebacker Matthew Weerts and offensive tackle Luke Eckardt, are also waiting for their senior seasons to start. The state has postponed the high school football season until January at the earliest.
The other half of the UA’s ’21 recruiting class resides in Texas, Louisiana or Arizona — three states that are navigating a season affected by the pandemic. Here’s an update on those players, as well as two who have committed for 2022:
On the bayou
Kevin Sumlin and his coaching staff made a concerted effort to recruit the New Orleans area, and Arizona managed to attract four three-star prospects: Running back Montrell Johnson, wide receiver Tyrese Johnson (no relation), safety/linebacker Kolbe Cage and defensive end Ja’Marian Peterson.
Montrell Johnson, a 5-foot-10-inch, 184-pound running back, is currently undefeated (7-0) in his final season at De La Salle High School. De La Salle doesn’t have statistics available, but the shifty Johnson has displayed speed and the ability to catch out of the backfield, similar to current UA running back Michael Wiley. Johnson’s teammate is Peterson, the 6-3, 238-pound edge rusher who committed to the Wildcats in late July. He is part of a De La Salle defense that’s only allowed six points in its previous four games.
Tyrese Johnson, Arizona’s second-highest-rated recruit for ’21, is a blend of size, power and speed at the wide receiver. Standing at 6-1, Johnson selected Arizona over Florida State, Miami, Arkansas, Mississippi State and Tennessee, among others. Johnson and Booker T. Washington High School (4-4) played against nationally-rated quarterback Arch Manning and Isidore Newman School on ESPN2, but were defeated 55-22. One of Johnson’s best plays of the year happened in early October, when he caught a 40-yard touchdown pass and broke through four defenders on his way to the end zone.
Cage’s Holy Cross High School team is 1-4. The 6-foot, 205-pound Cage has five tackles and one interception.
Down in Texas
It’s no surprise that the first recruiting class under new defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads is focused on defense. The Wildcats are focusing on the positions in which they lack depth, including linebacker and safety.
Rhoads and the Wildcats’ other defensive coaches should be pleased with what they have seen from the Texas commits, especially three-star safety Javione Carr. Through seven games at Arlington’s Sam Houston High School, Carr has recorded 107 tackles. His 68 solo tackles nearly match the next leader’s total tackles (76). Just up the road at Red Oak High School, safety-linebacker hybrid Jackson Bailey has 18 tackles and a sack in five games. Three-star safety Dalton Johnson has one interception as Katy High School holds a 7-1 record. Over in Tyler, UA cornerback commit Jakelyn Morgan has 21 tackles for a Legacy High School team that’s 2-4.
The Wildcats also have a few Houston-area commits: Tight end Colby Powers (Klein Collins High School), linebacker KC Ossai (Oak Ridge High School) and defensive end Kevon Garcia (Dekaney High School). The 6-1, 222-pound Ossai and Oak Ridge are 5-2 entering Friday. Garcia is tied for the most tackles at Dekaney with 48, including 5.5 stops for loss. Powers, who has also committed to play baseball at the UA, is a 6-4, 235-pound tight end prospect that currently plays quarterback.
The only Texas recruit in Arizona’s ’21 class that hasn’t played football this season is Kilgore College defensive back Antonio Brooks. The Texas junior college season isn’t scheduled to start until March.
In Arizona
The lone UA commit from Arizona in the ’21 class is Canyon del Oro High School star running back Stevie Rocker. In a season-opening loss to Cienega three weeks ago, Rocker was held to 20 yards on 16 carries. Last Friday, Rocker sustained an ankle injury that sidelined him for the remainder of CDO’s win over Ironwood Ridge. That’s the fourth time in as many years Rocker has missed time with a leg injury.
CDO coach Dustin Peace said: “It seems like a repeat over the last four years. He seems to be in better spirits. We’re gonna support him as a family and help him get through this. … He’s got a football career ahead of him, but it stinks that this is how CDO has been for him — injury-plagued. I feel for the kid.”
When healthy and playing at his best, Rocker is arguably the top running back in Arizona.
Looking ahead
The UA’s two commits for the ’22 recruiting class are Arizonans.
Salpointe Catholic High School quarterback Treyson Bourguet has completed just over 60% of his passes for 703 yards, 12 touchdowns and four interceptions in five games.
Chandler High School wide receiver Kyion Grayes leads his team with 23 catches for 424 yards and eight touchdowns. Grayes will play on ESPN2 on Friday, when Chandler battles rival Hamilton in the team’s season finale.
Grayes has verbally committed to the UA, but he recently picked up offers from Ohio State and Oregon.
The Ducks poaching UA commits is not new. But Ohio State? When a consistent College Football Playoff contender and national powerhouse comes knocking, it’s difficult for a program like Arizona to fight them off.
