National Signing Day 2017: Arizona Football Commits Tracker

National Signing Day is here, and as we have been covering for some time, here is some insight into Arizona Football’s 2017 recruiting class!

The day is finally here! The day every college football fan longs for, and more specifically, the day Arizona Football fans have been anxiously awaiting.

All the work that goes into securing your recruiting class, all the time spent reviewing film, meeting with players, their coaches, family, etc. is now over for the time being, as recruits put ink to paper, making their commitments official.

With National Signing 2017 finally here, head coach Rich Rodriguez will be meeting with the public later in day to speak about the recruiting class, and it will be an exclusive opportunity for fans to hear an overview of the team’s upcoming spring practice schedule. Additionally, fans will also be able to ask questions from the audience.

More from Football Recruiting

• 3-Star Athlete Chance Harrison commits to Arizona Football
• Local 5-Star DE Elijah Rushing commits to Arizona Football
• Arizona Football gains commitment from 3* Safety, Turran Williams
• Oregon Tight End Charlie Crowell commits to Arizona Football
• Bay Area lineman Justin Hylkema commits to Arizona Football

Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. and the event program will begin at 6 p.m. in the Sands Club (enter the LSFF main lobby near Gate 2 of Arizona Stadium).

Through out the day, we will be updating this page as National Letter of Intents are received by the University of Arizona, and the commits become official. Additionally, we will be providing our thoughts on each commit, and what they bring specifically.

*Harris, the son of former Wildcat great Sean Harris, comes in as a guy with lots of upside. A great athlete at Desert Ridge High School, Harris will be likely utilized as an edge rusher. His frame looks like he can add a bit more weight, and still be extremely successful.

He is a big get for a number of reasons, and he should help immensely on a defensive line in desperate need of more depth and talent!

*Nathan Tilford is a very good running back. Runs with a great combination of power and speed, putting up big numbers while at Colony High School. Tilford comes in as an early enrollee and should provide immediate depth at running back.

Given the injury concerns of Nick Wilson, and the fact that JJ Taylor may not quite be an every down back, Tilford has the ability to get some playing time coming in early. Should Arizona have the sort of bad luck again this coming year, Tilford being here early to adapt and learn the system is huge!

*Another early enrollee, Fields comes in with great upside. A standout linebacker while at the extremely talented Desert Pines High School in Las Vegas, NV, Fields has the ability to see playing time early.

The Wildcats could use some more immediate help and depth at linebacker, and with Fields coming early, he should definitely have a great opportunity to make his presence felt.

*Perhaps one of the anchors from this class, but Brown has been a big advocate for the Cats! He is a big, strong body, that should help immensely on the defensive line, and as we had said, the Wildcats could use a bit of help and more depth on the defensive line.

Brown is a great player, putting up some nice stats while at Liberty High School. Kurtis will definitely provide some size along the defensive line, and he should certainly be a nice addition for the Wildcats, creating disruption, making it difficult for opposing offensive lines to opperate.

*Another underrated recruit for the Wildcats, Casteel is a great pick-up for Arizona. The Wildcats certainly lost some important pieces on offense this past season, especially at receiver with the departures of guys like Nate Phillips, Trey Griffey and Samajie Grant.

The addition of Casteel is huge for a number of reasons. Disregard the listed 5’10” height, he possesses good speed and power for a receiver. Casteel is a shifty and elusive runner in space, making it a nightmare for opposing defenders to bring him down. He’s a very good, possession-type receiver, and has a great opportunity to potentially play early in his career.

*A solid defensive back in the class of 2017, Scott was a great safety for Helix High School in San Diego, CA.

Young is a solid safety, and should provide immediate help at the position. He possesses good size, and certainly doesn’t shy from contact. Young is a hard-hitting safety, with solid coverage skills. As last season showed, Arizona could use a bit more help from at depth standpoint defensively, and Scott’s addition helps provide that.

*Perhaps one of the more underrated recruits in this class, Troy is a great athlete and is every bit impressive when you see him put on pads.

While at a small high school in Mobile, AL, Young certainly made his presence known. The offers may not quite show it, but he again adds to the much needed depth on Arizona’s defense.

Young has great vision on defense, and seems to have a knack for getting to the football. He does seem to possess good tackling ability as well.

*If you have noticed, Arizona has made it a priority to recruit linebacker heavily. The team returns just three scholarship linebackers.

Wilborn was one of the more coveted linebackers from California, and he was definitely a standout player at Notre Dame. Playing a bit of defensive end, Wilborn will instead play linebacker here at Arizona, providing immediate help and depth to the position.

*A big body and frame, Dixon was a versatile athlete for Sabino High School in Tucson, AZ. Playing quarterback, running back, receiver and defense for the Sabercats, this kid can seemingly do it all.

The Wildcats are in need of some more weapons on offense perhaps, and Dixon could easily be one of those guys. He possesses great size and athleticism, and his big frame should be a nice target for whoever is quarterbacking for Arizona.

Dixon is deceptively elusive, and has great play-making ability.

*He’s nicknamed The Savage. Hailing from the powerhouse Polytechnic High School in Southern California, Brown is another great addition to the class. His older brother plays at Pac-12 rival UCLA, so football is in his blood.

Brown has a big body, and a mean side that make running backs, quarterbacks and offensive players alike shake in their cleats. He has a nasty streak, and really drives through his tackles. He has great vision and instincts on defense and simply makes plays.

Like many of the other linebackers in this class, he should have a chance to contend for early playing time, and he is certainly a nice get for the Wildcats!

*One of the two Bryce tight ends to sign with the Wildcats, Gilbert comes in as one of the better, more coveted players out of the state of Arizona.

Rich Rod has been saying he’s wanted to incorporate tight ends more to his offense, and well, now he has more options and weapons to do so. Gilbert is a big target, and the fact he’s another early enrollee, he potentially has the possibility of seeing the field early in his career.

Gilbert possesses great size, speed, and strength. Being utilized a bit as a sort of hybrid tight end/ slash receiver at Higley High School, Rodriguez will have an interesting choice in how to use him. Gilbert is a solid pick-up for the class!

*A close friend to fellow Wildcat commit Rhett Rodriguez, Wolma is another talented tight end in the class. The Michigan native played for the state powerhouse Saline High School, helping the Hornets to a 11-1 record.

Wolma is another big target for Arizona to use. As Rodriguez has stated, he wants to incorporate the use of tight end more, and signing two of them this class could be a good indication of the position usage moving forward.

Wolma is a deceptively quick tight end, who has great hands. Similar to Gilbert in some ways, he can line up on the outside and certainly cause mismatch problems for smaller defensive backs.

*The big-hitting safety out of Los Angeles, CA is a great get for the Wildcats. Short, a former UCLA commit, comes in with the ability to play early on. Physically speaking, he looks every bit the part of a Pac-12 player, and is certainly talented.

A great find in the class of 2017, Arizona is certainly fortunate to have this kid committed. He’ll be a nice addition to Arizona’s secondary, and could again find the field early when he arrives to Tucson.

*Perhaps one of the more underrated recruits in the class, Johnson comes in with Jalen Harris as one of the two highest-rated pass rushers in the state of Arizona.

Another former UCLA commit, Johnson is one of the steals in this class. He was a fantastic pass rusher for Tempe High School this past season, accumulating 89 tackles, and 21.5 sacks.

Under Rodriguez, Arizona has certainly lacked a potent pass-rush, and with the addition of Johnson and Harris, the Wildcats should improve immensely in that area.

*A junior college transfer that enrolled at Arizona back in January, Taufahema is an important player for a few reasons. He is experienced having played collegiate level football, and developmentally speaking, he will be further along than other defensive linemen coming in this season.

He’s a big body, that creates disruption on the defensive line, and will certainly get some playing time coming into 2017. Arizona was in need of some more impactful defensive linemen, and Taufahema, has the ability to help the Wildcats immensely.

*The only offensive lineman taken in the class, Burrola hails from the talent-rich Desert Pines High School in Las Vegas, NV. At a towering six-feet, six-inches tall, Burrola’s size and athleticism will allow him to be successful at the next level.

Burrola actually will be a blueshirt recruit, and will technically count towards next years’ class. He seems to excel in pass protection, and overall does well in blocking down field. At times it seems he disengages on the block early, but with time could emerge as a good linemen for the Cats.

*Another blueshirt recruit in the class of 2017 like Burrola, Hausman comes in as a hard-hitting defensive back from the highly touted Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, NV. Hausman actually missed his entire senior season due to an injury he sustained while on a recruiting trip to Arizona.

Definitely a tough blow to him just before his senior season, but he’s ready to get back on the field. He has great power for his size, and makes opposing receivers fear catching the ball against him. Another solid pick-up in the class, as Hausman helps build depth and talent in the secondary, the blue shirt gives him time to adjust, get healthy again and compete at a higher level even in the near future.

*The So-Cal kid with the strong leg, Havrisik is important for a number of reasons. As last season proved all facets of the game are important, especially special teams. No area is more important than others, and it appears Rodriguez is making a stronger commitment to improving this area.

Havrisik once kicked a field goal 65 yards, so he definitely possesses the leg-strength. He hasn’t been playing football too long, but the talent is there and Arizona saw that. He should help immensely with Arizona’s special teams next season.

*Wallace saw his recruitment explode late, and I think Arizona is just happy to be able to hold on to this one.

Tony hasn’t been playing football too long, but if his offer list is any indication, he possesses great football ability. He’s a physical corner and seems to make a number of impressive plays. Wallace should provide some much needed help in Arizona’s secondary.

*The son of head coach Rich Rodriguez, the young Rhett Rod comes in with easily the best grasp of the offensive playbook. While at Catalina Foothills High School in Tucson, AZ, Rodriguez was a four-year starter, improving every year.

He plays with confidence, is deceptively elusive, and has good arm strength and passing ability. The freshman-to-be may be a bit overlooked by some, but he’s really better than some give him credit for. He’s a great student of the game, understands the game well, and is very much a game manager, similar to a point guard for a basketball team.

*Bell comes from the very prestigious and talent-rich Mater Dei High School. Another defensive back in this class, Arizona is showing their need for depth and talent in the secondary.

Bell doesn’t shy away from contact, but sometimes waits for the play to come to him. Shows patience in his defensive stance, and attacks the ball with fury. He should be a nice addition to the secondary along with the others brought in, in this class.

*A bit of an unknown recruit simply because of the limited offers, Ramirez is a recruit the Wildcats identified not long ago. At 6’2″ 189 pounds, Ramirez may have a bit of work to do to get to the ideal weight and size for a linebacker in the Pac-12, but he is definitely a good athlete, and a tackling machine.

At the talented Auburndale High School in Florida, Ramirez accumulated over 100 tackles, and displayed a great ability to get to the ball. He has good lateral quickness, and secures tackles well. Maybe a bit of a project in some ways, Ramirez definitely has the ability to make an impact quickly.

*Dubbed by some as the Scooby Wright of this class, Schooler comes in with plenty of hype and a strong resume as well. Named one of the best defensive players in his high school league in California, Schooler like his brother (now at Oregon), possesses great football ability.

He’s a tackling machine, and seems to have great playmaking ability. Schooler should provide nice depth at linebacker, and if he’s anything like his brother who’s been a pleasant surprise for the Ducks, Schooler will too be a good one for the Cats.

*Another solid pick-up for Arizona, Pandy is going to be a good linebacker for the Wildcats. A player that saw his recruitment pick-up late, Pandy picked the Wildcats just a couple weeks ago, despite the strong push from Oregon.

He’s a big linebacker, with a bit of a nasty side. Very versatile on defense, Pandy plays a bit like a safety, but also comes up to the line as an edge pass rusher. He’s quick and elusive to offensive linemen, and absolutely punishes the opposing player with the football.

He definitely addresses an area of need, and we are just glad he’s going to be playing for the Wildcats!

*Last minute commitment flip from Temple, Brightwell comes in a bit unknown. This is a kid who initially transferred from St. Georges High School in Delaware, but put up some impressive stats in his time at St. Frances Academy.

Brightwell is hard to bring down as a running back. He runs hard and finds ways to make you miss in space. He has good explosive speed and typically takes a few tacklers with him.

Gary will provide some immediate help at running back, something the Wildcats could have used last year. He is definitely a nice get for the Wildcats, and a pleasant surprise on signing day.

Next: Arizona Football: Legacy Recruits Mulling Decisions

At Zona Zealots, we are excited for all our commits to join Arizona, and want to wish them the best of luck as they continue their football careers. As always Bear Down, Arizona, and welcome #ATeam17.