The Arizona Wildcats’ defense is young, thin and small. Sounds like a perfect opportunity for a junior college transfer to make an impact.
Brandon Golson … come on down.
Golson, an outside linebacker and former South Carolina signee, committed to Arizona on Monday morning, according to multiple recruiting services. He has said in previous interviews that he will graduate in December and be a mid-year transfer.
Golson (6-3, 230) is rated as a three-star recruit by Rivals.com, 247Sports and FoxSportsNext.com (formerly Scout.com). He is considered the 33rd-best junior college prospect in the country, according to 247Sports.
Golson, from Calhoun County High School in South Carolina, signed with the Gamecocks in 2010, but didn’t qualify. He then attended Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia, signed with Louisville in February 2011 and went through spring ball before being ruled a partial qualifier.
He then ended up at Georgia Military Academy last season.
He reportedly committed to South Carolina again this spring, but there were conflicting reports about that. He also visited Texas A&M this summer. In any case, he’s been considered a legit BCS-level talent for years.
In high school, he played only 20 games but compiled 191 tackles and 48 sacks in that time.
Arizona has 26 committed players for next season, but can count a mid-year transfer such as Golson backward for its allotment of 25 scholarships in the 2012 class.
With the possibility of a couple of incoming recruits delaying enrollment and other players perhaps de-committing, the Wildcats still have room to add a few key recruits. Schools can sign 28 players in a class as a hedge against academic non-qualifiers, but can only award 25 initial scholarships in an academic year.
Here is a look at Arizona’s recruiting class, with updated rankings:
| Player | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | School | Hometown | 247 | Rivals | Fox |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calvin Allen | DE | 6-5 | 225 | La Cueva HS | Albuquerque, N.M. | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Jacob Alsadek | OT | 6-7 | 332 | Torrey Pines HS | San Diego, Calif. | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Derek Babiash | CB | 6-1 | 165 | Poway HS | Poway, Calif. | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Jack Banda | DE | 6-4 | 225 | Grayson HS | Loganville, Ga. | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Luca Bruno | DL | 6-4 | 280 | Oak Park HS | Oak Park, Calif. | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Pierre Cormier | RB | 5-10 | 180 | Madison HS | San Diego, Calif. | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Brandon Cox | QB | 6-2 | 185 | Pasadena HS | Pasadena, Calif. | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Ryan Dunn | LB | 6-3 | 210 | San Ramon Valley HS | Danville, Calif. | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Paul Elvira | WR | 5-11 | 175 | Marcos De Niza HS | Tempe | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Brandon Golson | LB | 6-3 | 230 | Georgia Military | Milledgeville, Ga. | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Samajie Grant | WR | 5-10 | 170 | Colony HS | Ontario, Calif. | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Zachary Green | RB | 5-10 | 210 | St. Bonaventure HS | Ventura, Calif. | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Steven Gurrola | C | 6-2 | 280 | Glendale CC | Glendale | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Devin Holiday | DB | 5-10 | 170 | Mission Hills HS | San Marcos, Calif. | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Prince Holloway | CB | 5-9 | 160 | Hutchinson CC | Hutchinson, Kan. | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Mauriece Lee | RB | 5-8 | 185 | Marcos De Niza HS | Tempe | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Tony Mekari | DT | 6-2 | 270 | Westlake HS | Westlake Vill., Calif. | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| DeAndre Miller | LB | 6-3 | 215 | Buckeye HS | Buckeye | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| R.J. Morgan | DB | 6-2 | 210 | Crater Academy | Central Point, Ore. | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Nate Phillips | WR | 5-9 | 165 | Basha HS | Chandler | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Anu Solomon | QB | 6-0 | 195 | Bishop Gorman HS | Las Vegas | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Logan Stott | OG | 6-3 | 300 | Pine View HS | Saint George, Utah | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Derrick Turituri | LB | 6-2 | 225 | Crater Academy | Central Point, Ore. | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Lee Walker | WR | 6-0 | 175 | Madison HS | San Diego, Calif. | NR | 2 | 2 |
| Tommy Woodson | QB | 6-1 | 215 | Gateway HS | Monroeville, Pa. | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Philip Wright | LB | 6-1 | 225 | Cardinal Newman HS | Santa Rosa, Calif. | 2 | 2 | 2 |