As we approach the early signing period for the class of 2019, here is the list of the five most underrated commits for Arizona Football in my opinion.
We’re officially a week away from the early signing period for Arizona Football and everyone else in 2019, but as the Wildcats continue their recruiting efforts, now’s a good time to take a look at who we feel are the steals in the class.
Arizona Wildcats
As it stands, Arizona currently has the 53rd ranked class in the country according to 247sports. That ranks them 9th overall in the Pac-12.
That sort of rating likely doesn’t sit well with star watchers.
However, with 17 commits currently and an average player rating of 0.8438 (Arizona’s was 0.8483 last year), there is still room to add a couple players and potentially improve the rating too (Bobby Wolfe and Jalen Curry are two highly touted targets left the Wildcats are recruiting).
Now, while there’s no doubt the class is likely highlighted by the big-armed Grant Gunnell, as well as play makers like Kwabena Watson and Jaxen Turner, however, if Arizona is going to truly improve the talent level of the team, it’s depth is going to be vital moving forward.
In order for the Cats to get better as a team, they need to recruit just about at every position and get the right guys to fit their system. They will need to be good athletes, are coach-able and come in a bit under the radar.
With that said, here’s our list of the five most underrated commits for 2019.
No. 5 – DE Sylvain Yondjouen (Belgium)
The 6-foot-4-inch 232 pound defensive end from Belgium, Sylvain Yondjouen is technically Arizona’s top rated recruit (based on player average), but I think there’s still plenty of mysticism with this recruit, and that can be directly related to him being a foreign player.
While there isn’t a ton of film on him, it’s hard to gauge the level of competition he’s faced thus far. Nonetheless, I think he’s one of Arizona’s underrated commits for a few reasons.
For one, he has size, something you can’t coach. Put him in a division one weight room and he’s only going to get bigger and stronger.
Additionally, he’s got a lot of raw talent and ability that I feel is going to translate well at the next level, so long as he is able to adapt to the American game.
He will address a position of dire need (the defensive line) and will have a great opportunity to compete and contribute. There’s a lot to like about his athleticism, and I think he is easily one of the biggest steals in this class.
No. 4 – WR Jalen Johnson
The only receiver so far in the class of 2019 for Arizona Football, Jalen Johnson has quite a few desirable qualities you would want in a wide receiver.
- Size- He’s 6-feet-3-inches and over 170 pounds.
- Speed- Jalen reportedly runs a 4.55 40-yard dash.
Lastly, you have to look at his production! His junior season at Roosevelt High School in Corona, CA was a bit of a difficult one to gauge, since he played behind a lot of talent and also missed part of the year due to injury.
In 2018, he was a more integral part of the offense. As a senior, Johnson had 45 catches for 789 yards and six touchdowns. Not a bad line of stats if you ask me.
For Arizona, he will address an area of need as the Wildcats will lose Shawn Poindexter, Shun Brown and Tony Ellison, so at this point, the receiver position is wide open!
In 2019, he will have a great opportunity to compete if he doesn’t redshirt, but moving forward, I see Jalen being a big steal in this class.
Take a look at his highlights here.
No. 3 – ATH Chris Roland
Probably my favorite commit in the class of 2019, I think Arizona Football got a good one in Knight High School standout, Chris Roland!
Considered an athlete, at 6-feet and 180 pounds, Roland has great size and play making ability. He is skilled and versatile enough to play just about anywhere, but will likely play corner for the Wildcats.
Just a three-star recruit and the 145th ranked athlete in the class of 2019 according to 247Sports, Roland is a player that should be more than welcomed by fans!
Outside of Arizona, he also holds an offer from USC among others, which should be a clear indication that the kid can play.
He does a lot of things particularly well, putting together a monstrous senior season. Based on his film Roland had 57 tackles, 4.0 TFL, seven interceptions, three pass breakups and a forced fumble on defense. Offensively, he was far more impressive, with 77 reported receptions, 1491 yards and 19 total touchdowns.
He’s strong, plays aggressively on defense and should be able to provide immediate depth in the secondary.
No. 2 – S/ LB Eddie Siaumau
Probably the biggest mystery in the class of 2019, there isn’t much known about current Wildcat commit, Eddie Siaumau (si-ow-mao). From the football rich islands of the American Samoa, Siamau I think is a fantastic get for the Wildcats.
He hails from the talent-rich Leone High School in Pago Pago, American Samoa, which was home to USC’s Juliano Falaniko and Oregon State’s Elu Aydon.
While, the Wildcats are his only offer according to 247sports, to me, that’s fine. The less people know about him, the better it is for Arizona. If he were in the Bay area, I think his recruitment would have blown up by now.
Standing a sturdy 6-feet-2-inches and 210 pounds, I see Siaumau mostly playing as a Linebacker/ Safety combo for Arizona.
He has great size now, but could get a little bigger if he is to line-up as a linebacker.
Eddie has good speed in the secondary, doesn’t seem to get beat over the top and has good closing speed against defenders. He tackles well in the open field and doesn’t shy from contact.
Overall, I think he is one of the biggest steals in this class in my opinion, just take a look at his tape.
No. 1 – LB Derrion Clark
And the number one underrated prospect on my list is inside linebacker, Derrion Clark. Clark is the stud linebacker from the talent rich high school of South Oak Cliff High School in Dallas, TX.
Just a three-star prospect, and considered the 74th overall inside linebacker in the class according to 247sports, Clark is a bit of an interesting prospect.
He has decent size already, but for your typical division one linebacker, he is a bit on the smaller side at 6-feet-1-inch and 215 pounds. The good thing about Clark is that he has time to get bigger and improve.
He has a tremendous motor and is incredibly gifted as an athlete, two things you can’t teach. This past season as a senior, Clark totaled 104 tackles (67 solo), 20.0 TFL, seven sacks and an interception according to Maxpreps, en route to being named Texas’ District 6-5A defensive player of the year.
Clark reminds me a lot of current linebacker Tony Fields II, and if given the time and opportunity, I am excited to see what he can do! Clark has tremendous upside!
At Zona Zealots, we are excited to see this group of future Wildcats come in and see how they compete and perform! As always, Bear Down, Arizona!