The Arizona Football team did not have a very successful campaign last season, going 3-8. After finishing dead last in the South Division, Rich Rodriguez and staff went all out on recruiting for the next season.
When the initial rankings of classes came out, the Arizona Football team was not high on anybody’s list. As the days, weeks, and months went on the team rose through the rankings. Currently, they have the 20th best class in the entire country, headlined by Running Back Nathan Tilford out of Ontario California.
Any prospect is a good prospect, as long as they work hard, and don’t mess with the team’s chemistry many of these incoming freshmen should have a chance to start right off the bat. Let’s introduce the Offensive players.
Nathan Tilford:. RB, Ontario, CA
A 6-foot-1 205 lb running of Ontario, California Nathan Tilford has the abilities to be the next great Arizona RB. During his senior year, he carried the ball a whopping 223 times for over 2000 yards, averaging just over 9 yards per carry.
Tilford also reached the end zone a total of 38 times, once you include his eight receiving TD’s. When watching Nathan Tilford, it is very easy to see why he is the number 17 ranked RB. He is an explosive back capable of seeing the entire field with ease. He can cut left and right with no hesitation in his footwork. He should come in and immediately start, the top 2 rushers last season were a QB and a WR, not something you want out of your backfield.
Follow our brand new running back Twitter @NateTil4d
Brian Casteel: WR Covina, CA
Hailing from Charter Oak high school in California, Brian Casteel is a versatile WR. Standing at 6-foot-1 and weighing 190 Lbs, he can go up and get the ball. Something the team desperately needs at the moment.
He will more than likely sparingly play during his freshman season. The team currently has four wide receivers ahead of him that are all Juniors and Seniors; Poindexter, Brown, Denson, and Ellison. In the spread option offense, Casteel has the skill to become something special, just not till later on down the road.
Bryce Gilbert: TE, Gilbert, AZ
Traveling from just over 100 miles away, Gilbert will be one of the local boys on the roster when the season starts. Not having to settle into a brand new environment could work wonders for the local kid. He won’t feel much pressure as he will have his family in the crowd at most games.
Standing at 6-foot-4, 230 Lbs Gilbert can become Gronk-Esque. He is the definition of the modern day tight end, a big bruising brawler who can outrun the defender with speed. Don’t be looking for Bryce to start burning defenders left and right, but he will be able to hold his own on the line.
Follow Bryce Gilbert over on Twitter @brycegilbert12
Bryce Wolma: TE, Saline, MI
Arriving all the way from Michigan, Bryce Wolma will look to go the same route as the OTHER incoming Tight End named Bryce. With these two coming in to fortify the tight end position, Arizona has their End’s of the future.
Standing about the same height, and same weight as Bryce Gilbert, Wolma appears to be the faster of the two tight ends. In the highlight tape provided we see play after play where Wolma catches a ball 10-15 yards deep, then proceeds to outrun, and outmaneuver the opponent. The ability to move left and right while running will play a key a part in Wolma becoming a key contributor.
Follow Bryce Wolma over on Twitter @brycewolma2
Gary Brightwell: RB, Baltimore, MD
As the furthest traveling incoming freshman, Brightwell will bring in a different culture to the group than all the west coast boys. Standing at only 5’11 Brightwell has all the critics hating on him because of the height. He will be determined to prove them all wrong.
Brightwell has the amazing speed for an RB, and his field vision rivals the best of them. If Arizona realizes that they have a budding star on their hands who didn’t get any attention from major schools because of the height issue, they may have stolen their RB of the future.
Follow Gary Brightwell over on Twitter @G_Brightwell21
K’hari Lane: QB, Montezuma, GA
Standing at 6-feet, 220 Lbs. Lane is the top QB recruit in the 2017 class for the Wildcats. K’hari Lane was one of the last recruits for Arizona this season to sign their Letter Of Intent, surprisingly, Lane may be the best quarterback in this class. In his high school career, he threw for almost 10,000 yards to go along with 120 Touchdowns.
Although he may not be the team’s starter this year, currently behind Brandon Dawkins, Khalil Tate, and Donovan Tate on the depth chart. He may eventually take over that role once Dawkins leaves and the experiment to bring back Donovan Tate to college football doesn’t work out.
Rhett Rodriguez: QB, Tucson, AZ
The son of coach Rich Rodriguez, Rhett Rodriguez may have a step up on the rest of the competition for backup QB. Coach Rodriguez certainly will not be playing favorites by having his own son be the number two or three quarterbacks solely based on him being his son, although he has to acknowledge that his son will have the playbook handy every day and night.
Standing at 6-foot and 190 Lbs, Rhett may be a little undersized for the position. His speed and arm strength will make up for the lack of height, at least at the college level. No matter what happens, we are excited to see both Rodriguez’s on the same sideline come fall.
Follow Rhett Rodriguez over on Twitter @rhett_rod
Edgar Burolla: OL, Las Vegas, NV
As the only incoming offensive linemen, as a freshman, Edgar does not have the pressure that many of the other players do. Checking in at a whopping 290 Lbs, and an outstanding 6-foot-6 height, Burolla has all the physical tools in the world to dominate on the offensive line.
Where Burolla projects to help out most will be during runs, where he will be using his strength to push opposing linemen further downfield so that the running back behind him will be able to see where to go next.
Drew Dixon: Wide Reciever/Quarterback, Tucson Arizona
Eric Townsend interviewed Drew last season, here is an excerpt from his post:
"Football talent is everywhere, but finding the right talent is always a challenge, especially at the high school level. However, Rich Rod seems to have found that talent in Arizona’s backyard, with local high school product, Drew Dixon who is committed to Arizona Football. The 6=foot4” 195-pound athlete has done some great things this year, and after observing a few of his games, the Wildcats seemed to have found another OKG (Our Kinda Guy). Despite his large stature, Dixon is a soft-spoken person who lets his big game do the talking. Versatility and athleticism are certainly what Rodriguez covets in his up-tempo offense, and Dixon easily fits that mold. Where he ends up playing, Dixon level may be the biggest challenge for Rodriguez at the next level. Drew believes he will likely be a receiver according to the staff, but with all the injuries at quarterback this year, he is certainly open to the idea of playing QB if the situation called for it."
Follow Drew Dixon at @DrewDixon_1
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Pac-12 media days are just around the corner at the end of July, and we cannot wait to bring you more on next season’s football team. Bear Down!