I know you like to stay in the loop about the players Arizona is recruiting and the summer continues to be a big time for prospects making their decisions. Another wave of UA targets are now off the board after yet another busy week. Here is a rundown of the most recent prospects to choose a school.
Gunner Romney - WR (Chandler, Arizona/BYU)
The top-five in-state recruit had been giving Arizona a good look, but getting him out to pick a school not in Utah was always going to be a tough task for the others involved. Utah had been the school with the most buzz and one that Romney himself mentioned was at the top of his list, but when it came time to make his choice the Chandler standout receiver went with BYU over the two Pac-12 schools he had at the top of his list. Arizona had built a strong relationship with Romney but for now this one is settled although UA could remain involved a bit.
Brennan Jackson - DE (Temecula (Calif.) Great Oak/Washington State)
Arizona had the California defensive end out on campus in the spring and he picked up an offer from the Wildcats on that trip, but it was always clear that Washington State was high up on the list for him. Jackson tends to stay a little more quiet about his recruitment, but it still wasn't a shock to see him pull the trigger for the Cougars late last week. The Wildcats were fighting an uphill battle it seemed from the get-go as were all the other schools and this is not one I would imagine the Wildcats continue to pursue at this stage. There are some better options out there.
Devon Cooley - WR (Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco/UCLA)
I wouldn't say the same thing for the three-star receiver from California, however. This is one recruitment I could see Arizona staying involved in despite his pledge to the Bruins last week. Cooley is someone who has been a big UCLA lean for quite some time now, but academics and confidence that he would be able to get into school prevented the Bruins from taking that commitment. It finally stuck last week, but that doesn't mean it's over now. There are still going to be those concerns and if it becomes a problem it would present an opportunity for other schools to get involved if he is ever dropped by UCLA because of it. On the field he is certainly a standout with great hands and a knack for making big plays. He will be one to continue to watch as things move along although the early pledge could help him get on track academically his senior year. If he does that then he will still end up with the Bruins.
Trenton Charles - APB (Baton Rouge (La.) Scotlandville/Yale)
It's hard to feel bad when you lose out on a recruit to an Ivy League school. There is clearly something more in play than just football when that happens. This one goes a bit back to earlier in the month but the Louisiana-based back decided to go with the Bulldogs over his other options including an offer from the Wildcats. Arizona was his only Power Five offer and while the program made his top five it just never seemed realistic. UA has higher priorities on the board so Yale makes a lot of sense for Charles. This is not one I would imagine the Wildcats pursue much as things go on now, but if there ends up being some things that fall through later in the cycle it could change that.
DJ Brown - CB (Washington D.C.-St. John's College High/Virginia)
This one also goes back a bit but the two-star cornerback from Washington D.C. always sounded like he would prefer to stay a bit closer to home. When we spoke with Brown prior to his decision Virginia sounded like it was the school to beat and eventually that is what took place as he committed to the Cavaliers earlier in the month. Brown is a bigger cornerback at 6-foot-1 but he will need some more development to reach his full potential. Arizona was one of the schools he was looking at closely and he eventually visited before making his decision. I would expect Arizona to move on from this one now since there are some other higher priorities, but it might be one to at least keep an eye on since there are a few players at his school with UA offers and there has been some discussion of potentially taking an official visit out to Tucson together.
Gunner Romney - WR (Chandler, Arizona/BYU)
The top-five in-state recruit had been giving Arizona a good look, but getting him out to pick a school not in Utah was always going to be a tough task for the others involved. Utah had been the school with the most buzz and one that Romney himself mentioned was at the top of his list, but when it came time to make his choice the Chandler standout receiver went with BYU over the two Pac-12 schools he had at the top of his list. Arizona had built a strong relationship with Romney but for now this one is settled although UA could remain involved a bit.
Brennan Jackson - DE (Temecula (Calif.) Great Oak/Washington State)
Arizona had the California defensive end out on campus in the spring and he picked up an offer from the Wildcats on that trip, but it was always clear that Washington State was high up on the list for him. Jackson tends to stay a little more quiet about his recruitment, but it still wasn't a shock to see him pull the trigger for the Cougars late last week. The Wildcats were fighting an uphill battle it seemed from the get-go as were all the other schools and this is not one I would imagine the Wildcats continue to pursue at this stage. There are some better options out there.
Devon Cooley - WR (Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco/UCLA)
I wouldn't say the same thing for the three-star receiver from California, however. This is one recruitment I could see Arizona staying involved in despite his pledge to the Bruins last week. Cooley is someone who has been a big UCLA lean for quite some time now, but academics and confidence that he would be able to get into school prevented the Bruins from taking that commitment. It finally stuck last week, but that doesn't mean it's over now. There are still going to be those concerns and if it becomes a problem it would present an opportunity for other schools to get involved if he is ever dropped by UCLA because of it. On the field he is certainly a standout with great hands and a knack for making big plays. He will be one to continue to watch as things move along although the early pledge could help him get on track academically his senior year. If he does that then he will still end up with the Bruins.
Trenton Charles - APB (Baton Rouge (La.) Scotlandville/Yale)
It's hard to feel bad when you lose out on a recruit to an Ivy League school. There is clearly something more in play than just football when that happens. This one goes a bit back to earlier in the month but the Louisiana-based back decided to go with the Bulldogs over his other options including an offer from the Wildcats. Arizona was his only Power Five offer and while the program made his top five it just never seemed realistic. UA has higher priorities on the board so Yale makes a lot of sense for Charles. This is not one I would imagine the Wildcats pursue much as things go on now, but if there ends up being some things that fall through later in the cycle it could change that.
DJ Brown - CB (Washington D.C.-St. John's College High/Virginia)
This one also goes back a bit but the two-star cornerback from Washington D.C. always sounded like he would prefer to stay a bit closer to home. When we spoke with Brown prior to his decision Virginia sounded like it was the school to beat and eventually that is what took place as he committed to the Cavaliers earlier in the month. Brown is a bigger cornerback at 6-foot-1 but he will need some more development to reach his full potential. Arizona was one of the schools he was looking at closely and he eventually visited before making his decision. I would expect Arizona to move on from this one now since there are some other higher priorities, but it might be one to at least keep an eye on since there are a few players at his school with UA offers and there has been some discussion of potentially taking an official visit out to Tucson together.
