Scooby Wright made this interception after Shaq Richardson, falling out of bounds, tossed the ball back into play. Photo by Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Arizona Wildcats linebacker Scooby Wright has been selected a True Freshman All-American by 247Sports.com.
He is tied for third on the team with 78 tackles and is second with 9.5 tackles for loss. He also had an interception on the first play from scrimmage against Oregon, a moment that stands as the play of the year for the Wildcats.
Wright (6-1, 230) has given the Cats a little more size at linebacker and a non-stop motor, stepping into the starting lineup from the first game. He started 11 of 12 regular-season games, missing only the Washington State start because Arizona went with six defensive backs against the Cougars’ pass-happy spread.
Wright certainly defied outside expectations after being only a two-star recruit out of Cardinal Newman High School in Windsor, Calif.
“He’s a really good football player,” Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez said in October.
“We knew it when we signed him, but we didn’t know how quickly he was going to learn, particularly as a freshman, if anything would slow his progress as far as the learning curve.
“He has a natural feel for it and he’s a really good football player. He hasn’t even touched his ceiling yet.”
It’s somewhat surprising that Arizona receiver Nate Phillips didn’t make second-team All-True Freshman by 247Sports. He has 42 receptions for 503 yards and seven touchdowns.