Hometown Hero: 5-star Salpointe star Elijah Rushing commits to Arizona Wildcats

Plenty of Tucson natives stayed home to play for the Arizona Wildcats. But when it’s all said and done, the most recent one could be the most impactful one.

Elijah Rushing, a five-star 2024 edge rusher at Salpointe Catholic, announced his verbal commitment to the hometown Wildcats at the Stevens Strength and Conditioning center on the Salpointe campus. Rushing selected the UA over Oregon, Notre Dame and Tennessee.

“I’ll say being a hometown kid, born and raised in the heart of Tucson, this decision holds a special significance for me,” Rushing said. “An opportunity to represent my state, my community, and my family on the football field is a dream come true. It’s a chance to give back to the place that has shaped me both as an athlete and as an individual.”

Rushing’s commitment is a two-fer: Not only is the 6-6, 250-pound defensive end, who is the eighth-best prospect and top edge rusher in 247Sports.com’s ranking system, the highest-rated Tucsonan to play for the Wildcats, he’s the first-ever five-star Tucson native to stay home in the modern recruiting era. More notably, Rushing is the highest-rated overall recruit to commit to Arizona; he passed sophomore star wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, who the headliner for the first official recruiting class under head coach Jedd Fisch in 2022.

“When you think about it from that perspective, it’s pretty special,” said Salpointe Catholic head coach Eric Rogers. “I give that coaching staff a lot of credit. They worked extremely hard.

“The culture that Arizona has is pretty special right now,” Rogers added.

“That coaching staff is doing a tremendous job. They’re not afraid to recruit anybody, and that started with T-Mac last year,” he said. “Being able to get him and bring him to Arizona, that showed ‘We’re going to build something special.’ At the end of the day, talent wins. Right, wrong or indifferent, you gotta have guys who can execute and get it done at a high level.

“The more of those guys you can have, the more you can win football games. The culture is there, the commitment is there, all of it is in place. Now it’s just about getting players, and now they’re starting to do that. I’m hoping now that Elijah is committed to Arizona, this can really get more players to come.”

Not long ago, it was conceivable that Arizona wouldn’t land Rushing considering his older brother and former Salpointe Catholic star Cruz Rushing was a walk-on at Florida, and their father, George Rushing, was a tight end for the Gators under “Head Ball Coach” Steve Spurrier. Then Cruz Rushing transferred to the UA as a scholarship backup safety.

“Family is everything to me, and the opportunity to play alongside my older brother at the collegiate level is a blessing beyond words,” Rushing said on Thursday. “Our bond as brothers extends far beyond the football field, and the thought of sharing his experience with him is truly a blessing.

“We have supported and pushed each other from day one. Now we have the chance to continue that journey together. We will not only represent our family name but also inspire others to chase their dreams relentlessly.”

With the older Rushing suiting up for the Wildcats in the spring, Elijah Rushing was a frequent guest at Arizona’s spring practices. Attending spring practices allowed Rushing “to learn from the coaches ... how to be a better defensive player.

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“I think they’re doing a great job. (Arizona edge rushers coach Jason) Kaufusi is a development coach and he has really stepped up, and I can see that the guys are getting to do big things,” Rushing said on ESPN Tucson in April. “The program is going in the right direction, and I like the coaches who are at the helm of it.”

Once the visiting period started for the 2024 recruiting cycle in January, Arizona made its presence felt.

“That very first day in January, when coaches were allowed to get on the road and get on high school campuses, the entire (UA) coaching staff showed up at 6 a.m. — every single coach,” Rogers said. “That left a lasting impression, there’s no doubt about it. That was special, and it meant a lot to our football program and kids. That kick-started everything. It’s been a constant open relationship since then.”

The other schools in the Rushing sweepstakes also made a valiant effort, but playing in Tucson was sentimental for Rushing.

“Every chance they could be on campus, they were on campus; every one of those schools. Elijah and his family had great relationships, but it has to get narrowed down to something, right? ... I think what it ultimately came down to was staying at home. ‘I want to be home, I want to play in front of the hometown crowd, play with my brother and play in front of family and friends. I just want to be home.’”

Rushing bucked the trend of Salpointe Catholic stars to spurn Arizona. Notable Lancers the Wildcats whiffed on include Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson (Texas); safety Lathan Ransom (Ohio State); offensive linemen Matteo Mele (Washington), Bruno Fina (UCLA) and Jonah Miller (Oregon); also, one-time Lancer and former Tanque Verde offensive tackle Jack Endean (Oklahoma State). Arizona also halted recruiting former UA commit Treyson Bourguet, who’s now the starting quarterback at Western Michigan. Former Salpointe Catholic All-American offensive lineman Kristofer O’Dowd chose to play at USC in 2007.

In 2024, the Wildcats have commitments from Salpointe Catholic three-star edge rusher Keona Wilhite and now Rushing.

The Wildcats have six in-state commits for their 18-player ‘24 recruiting class, the most by the Fisch regime.

“I understand the responsibility that comes with wearing the Wildcat jersey, and I promise to approach every practice, game and every moment with steadfast dedication and passion,” Rushing said.

“I’m committed to giving my all pushing my limits and contributing to the success of our team. Together, we will leave our mark on the football field and continue the proud tradition of the Arizona Wildcats. ... I’m excited to embark on this new chapter and make you all proud.”