Several of the Arizona Wildcats’ best football players are from Texas — quarterback Nick Foles, defensive tackle Justin Washington, receiver David Douglas, receiver Dan Buckner, cornerback Trevin Wade …
Arizona’s roster includes 16 scholarship players from Texas, and there are, for now, two more on the way, including linebacker A.J. Hilliard, who committed Sunday.
Hilliard, from Klein (Texas) High School outside of Houston, also had offers from, among others, Michigan State, Boise State, West Virginia, Louisville, Minnesota, Houston and Nevada.
“Over the years, I have known some Arizona graduates and I know some people going to Arizona. I understand why people from Houston want to go to Arizona because they have a lot of Southern hospitality,” Hilliard said.
“The whole atmosphere is what I’m kind of used to. The weather is great. It’s hot. I’m used to that.”
Hilliard (6-2, 205) is rated a three-star recruit (out of five), by Rivals.com, Scout.com and 247sports.com
He took an unofficial visit to Arizona last month, and said he will take his official visit during the weekend of the Stanford game Sept. 17.
“I’ve had Arizona on a pedestal for a while,” he said.
Quarterbacks coach Frank Scelfo, who recruits the Houston area for the Wildcats, was Hilliard’s primary contact.
“He talks to me from a recruiter’s standpoint and as a coach and as a father,” Hilliard said. “I appreciate everything he has to tell me. I take everything he says really seriously.”
Hilliard had 101 tackles, including seven sacks last season, according to Scout.com. He intercepted two passes.
Hilliard is the 13th player to commit to Arizona for its 2012 class.
Arizona Wildcats 2012 football recruiting class
| Name | Position | Height | Weight | School |
|
Gerron Borne
|
DT
|
6-3
|
280
|
East St. John HS (Reserve, La.)
|
|
Beau Boyster
|
OT
|
6-4
|
285
|
St. John Bosco HS (Bellflower, Calif.)
|
|
Cayman Bundage
|
OL
|
6-2
|
293
|
Douglass HS (Oklahoma City)
|
|
Ben Dixon
|
DE
|
6-3
|
250
|
St. Bonaventure HS (Ventura, Calif.)
|
|
T.D. Gross
|
OL
|
6-6
|
260
|
Santana HS (Santee, Calif.)
|
|
Zach Hemmila
|
OL
|
6-3
|
275
|
Chandler HS
|
|
A.J. Hilliard
|
LB
|
6-2
|
205
|
Klein (Texas) HS
|
|
Kyle Kelley
|
DE
|
6-3
|
205
|
Woodbridge HS (Irvine, Calif.)
|
|
Josh Kern
|
QB
|
6-5
|
190
|
Clark HS (San Antonio)
|
|
Taylor McNamara
|
TE
|
6-5
|
235
|
Westview HS (San Diego)
|
|
Dwight Melvin
|
DE
|
6-1
|
265
|
Betty H. Fairfax HS (Laveen)
|
|
Steven Moore
|
OL
|
6-6
|
265
|
Elk Grove HS (Elk Grove, Calif.)
|
|
Nathan Sudfeld
|
QB
|
6-5
|
215
|
Modesto Christian HS (Modesto, Calif.)
|