Today was the media’s day to meet the newcomers, it’s your turn this Wednesday.#ItsPersonal #BearDown pic.twitter.com/hbqqhPeEqx
— Arizona Football (@ArizonaFBall) January 29, 2022
Arizona coach Jedd Fisch and some of his high-profile recruits, part of the most heralded recruiting class in program history, and transfers Jayden de Laura and Jacob Cowing greeted the local media today at Arizona Stadium.
Fisch and his staff have amassed the top recruiting class in the Pac-12, according to Rivals.com. That does not include the de Laura, the Pac-12 Freshman Offensive Player of the Year at Washington State, and other incoming transfers.
Here are some of the social media reactions of the media gathering:
Bold prediction: These 32 players will start the process of getting Arizona to the Promised Land (the Rose Bowl):
Jedd Fisch said Arizona will sign one more player Wednesday to give the Wildcats an incoming class of 32 recruits and transfers.
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) January 28, 2022
No drawn out QB competition this spring; sounds like Jayden de Laura is in a good spot.
Jedd Fisch says that if spring ball were to begin today only Will Plummer, Jayden de Laura and Noah Fifita would be available.
Assuming everyone will be healthy when spring ball actually begins, Fisch says he doesn’t want to have a drawn out QB competition.
— GOAZCATS.com (@GOAZCATScom) January 28, 2022
“Competition makes everyone better,” Fisch said about de Laura entering the fray:
Jedd Fisch on Arizona adding Washington State transfer QB Jayden de Laura and how he envisions the QB competition during spring ball and training camp. pic.twitter.com/w0H3reoebE
— Justin Spears (@JustinESports) January 28, 2022
Fifita talks about recruiting 5-star WR recruit Tetairoa McMillan to Arizona:
New Arizona freshman QB, Noah Fifita gets interviewed at early enrollee media day. #ArizonaFB pic.twitter.com/9JVxo7lcH9
— Dylan Grausz (@dylan_grausz) January 29, 2022
Fisch says Fifita is ready as an early enrollee participating in spring practice soon.
Jedd Fisch explains why it was important for Noah Fifita to arrive on campus early. pic.twitter.com/B3LdgDg7H2
— Averie Klonowski (@AverieKlonowski) January 28, 2022
Arizona can still use Rayshon “Speedy” Luke on screens or quick patterns out of the backfield getting him in an open space.
Jedd Fisch compared @_doughboyspeedy to Chiefs star receiver Tyreek Hill, but says Luke will be used mostly as a running back.
“We’ll use him more in the backfield than the slot. … Out of the backfield, he shoots out of a cannon.”
— Justin Spears (@JustinESports) January 28, 2022
Fisch is high on Arizona’s secondary:
Jedd Fisch on current state of Arizona’s defense: pic.twitter.com/oOrjsBbfqK
— Justin Spears (@JustinESports) January 29, 2022
The highest previous Pac-12 finishes for Arizona, according to Rivals.com, was Mike Stoops’ efforts in 2005 and 2006 (No. 3 ranking with each). The 2005 class included QB Willie Tuitama and FS Michael Johnson (who played with the New York Giants after his Arizona career). Nine players from Texas, including Johnson, were in that class. The 2006 class included DE Louis Holmes, SS Nate Ness (who went on to play for the Miami Dolphins), FB (but later DT) Earl Mitchell (a longtime NFL player) and DE studs Brooks Reed and Ricky Elmore. Mitchell and Reed were inducted into Arizona’s Ring of Honor last season. That 2006 class had seven players from Texas, including Mitchell.
Graphical preview of the @ArizonaFBall recruiting story I’ve got coming out in a little bit: pic.twitter.com/CFEnnOnC5X
— Michael Lev (@MichaelJLev) January 29, 2022
Arizona is not shying away from the hype of McMillan (T-Mac). Fisch and the program see him as a big-play receiver whose style of play will sell tickets.
The highest-rated recruit in @ArizonaFBall history. Welcome to Tucson, @TMAC96795! pic.twitter.com/5O5ChvyMxR
— Arizona Athletics (@AZATHLETICS) January 28, 2022
Audio from interviews of Arizona’s newcomers here:
Did you miss ANY of our interviews from the players coming in for Arizona’s new Class of 2022? Hear them ALL here in one go as we hear from them on what brought them to Arizona and what they have thought of their new home in the Old Pueblo. https://t.co/pCJ7YnQnj9
— Wildcats Radio 1290 (@Wildcats1290) January 29, 2022
Arizona Class of 2022 Football Recruits
List of Arizona Class of 2022 football recruits, symbolic of the first full year of recruiting for coach Jedd Fisch and his staff. Star ratings made by Rivals/GOAZCATS.com. *Preferred walk-on.| NAME | POS | LOCATION | HT | WT | STARS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keyan Burnett | TE | Anaheim (CA) | 6'4" | 222 | **** |
| Jai-Ayviauynn Celestine | DB | Miami (FL) | 5'10" | 175 | NR |
| Jonah Coleman | ATH | Stockton (CA) | 5'9" | 185 | *** |
| *Brandon Craddock | LB | Glendale | 6'2" | 210 | ** |
| Russell Davis II | DE | Chandler | 6'4" | 215 | *** |
| Tacario Davis | DB | Long Beach (CA) | 6'3" | 175 | *** |
| Noah Fifita | QB | Anaheim (CA) | 5'9" | 175 | *** |
| Kevin Green Jr. | WR | Mission Hills (CA) | 5'10" | 155 | *** |
| Isaiah Johnson | DT | Chandler | 6'3" | 290 | ** |
| AJ Jones | WR | Ontario (CA) | 6'4" | 195 | *** |
| Sterling Lane | DE | Westlake Village (CA) | 6'4" | 235 | **** |
| Rayshon Luke | APB | Bellflower (CA) | 5'8" | 175 | *** |
| Jacob Manu | LB | Anaheim (CA) | 5'11" | 207 | *** |
| Tyler Martin | LB | Cambridge (MA) | 6'2" | 235 | *** |
| Tetairoa McMillan | WR | Anaheim (CA) | 6'4" | 185 | ***** |
| Tyler Powell | TE | Phoenix | 6'6" | 205 | *** |
| Ephesians Prysock | DB | Mission Hills (CA) | 6'3" | 170 | **** |
| Jacob Reece | OL | Salt Lake City | 6'4" | 295 | ** |
| Jonah Savaiinaea | OL | Honolulu | 6'4" | 330 | *** |
| Grayson Stovall | OL | Chandler | 6'4" | 290 | *** |
| TaiTai Uiagalelei | DE | Santa Ana (CA) | 6'3" | 220 | ** |
| Isaiah Ward | LB | Ontario (CA) | 6'6" | 230 | *** |
| Jermaine Wiggins Jr. | DT | North Bridgton (ME) | 6'4" | 250 | *** |
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ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He is a former Arizona Daily Star beat reporter for the Arizona basketball team, including when the Wildcats won the 1996-97 NCAA title. He has also written articles for CollegeAD.com, Bleacher Report, Lindy’s Sports, TucsonCitizen.com, The Arizona Republic, Sporting News and Baseball America, among many other publications. He has also authored the book “The Highest Form of Living”, which is available at Amazon. He became an educator five years ago and is presently a special education teacher at Gallego Fine Arts Intermediate in the Sunnyside Unified School District.
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