Editorโs note: The Star is counting down the top high school football players in Tucson. Up next: Salpointe Catholic offensive tackle Luis Cordova.
Name: Luis Cordova
Rundown: Cordova is a 6-foot-4-inch, 270-pound junior offensive tackle for the Salpointe Catholic Lancers.
Who he is: Cordova has spent the last two seasons battling against Lancers edge rusher Elijah Rushing โ a 6-6, 245-pound five-star 2024 prospect who is considered one of the top defensive players for his recruiting cycle.
Iron sharpens iron, right?
โGoing against him is a privilege. Heโs the best edge rusher in the nation, so it doesnโt get much better than that,โ Cordova said. โI mean, youโre playing against the best of the best, so itโs a true blessing. I enjoy the moments with him, going head-to-head with him. For this year, I know Iโm going to have really good edge rushers on me. โฆ Going against him prepares me a lot. He makes it easier.โ
Matching up against Rushing improved Cordovaโs physical abilities; a brutal shoulder injury improved his mental strength.
During Salpointe Catholicโs 49-21 loss to the Scottsdale Saguaro in the regular season, Cordova, the Lancersโ left tackle, opened up out of his two-point stance for pass protection. His task for the night: block Tristan Monday, one of the stateโs top edge rushers now at the University of Wisconsin.
โI was kicking out, he cut inside and then took my shoulder with him,โ Cordova said. โMy ligaments were torn and there was just a whole bunch of stuff wrong with it. I played the rest of the season, because I didnโt think it was going to be severe.โ
The Lancers fell to Scottsdale Horizon in the postseason. Cordova underwent surgery on his right shoulder two weeks later.
โThe doctor told me how bad it was and that I needed surgery,โ he said. โHe told me the consequences are severe if I donโt get this done ASAP. It was hard at first, just wrapping my head around the fact that I just had shoulder surgery. But I didnโt let it get to my head.โ
Cordova rehabbed for six months alongside Carla Garrett, Salpointe Catholicโs highly regarded strength and conditioning coach.
โNow heโs back,โ Salpointe Catholic coach Eric Rogers said. โHeโs benching and heโs got all of his strength. We expect him to be ready for Week One, because all is checking out right now. But it was a big deal, and it was a hard offseason for him in a lot of ways. From a mental standpoint, heโs really grown and matured and his ready to lead this team.โ
Cordova could contribute on defense this season. A newcomer to Class 6A, Salpointe Catholic opens the season on Sept. 2 at Scottsdale Chaparral.
โHeโs going to have to play some D-tackle for us this year. Heโs big and strong enough for the position, and I think he can be a big-time Division One D-tackle in college,โ Rogers said. โI wouldnโt rule that out, and Iโve told him that. โฆ Heโs a tough, mean kid, and thatโs always suitable for that side of the ball.โ
Proof heโs good: Cordova said college interest has โkinda slowed down because of the surgery,โ but impressed Arizona Wildcats offensive coordinator Brennan Carroll at a big-man camp at the UA last summer. Arizona remains Cordovaโs lone scholarship offer.
โMy communication with the U of A has been amazing,โ Cordova said. โI talk to Coach Carroll every week and we keep a bond. Iโm in pretty good contact with them.โ
He said it: โHeโs very cerebral. Heโs got a 3.9-4.0 GPA, he really understands the game and heโs very coachable. Thatโs probably what stands out the most. He can adjust on the fly. Weโll be in the middle of a drive, weโll yell something at him and he just gets it. Thatโs a special trait, and not all of them can do that.โ โ Rogers
