The road to Signing Day can be a rough and arduous one…and that’s just for those of us in the media. I thought I’d close out Signing Day with a little humor:

Cartoon by Brad Allis

For those who want to delve deeper into a few more recruits, head over the WildcatSportsReport.com. There is a nice video feature on Marquis Flowers and a taste of the scene at CDO as Josh Robbins signed.

Over the next few days we’ll have video features on Chase Gorham, Jourdon Grandon and Kyle Benson play reactions from a few Wildcats assistants. Oh yeah, there’s the first place basketball team as well.

The Cats will announce their 2010 recruiting class on Wednesday afternoon. As we discussed yesterday, the offense addressed most of their needs. For the defense it is much of the same.

For all your signing day coverage, including the FAX TRACKER, player bios and breaking news visit WILDCATSPORTSREPORT.com all day long on Wednesday.

Defensive Tackles

Committed: (3)
Kirifi Taula 6-4, 275  Servite (CA) HS
Willie Mobley  6-2, 270 Orange Coast College/Ohio State
Sani Fuimaono 6-2, 270, Punahou School, Honolulu, HI

Fills Needs: A
The Cats lose two DTs but grab three in the class. Mobley can come in and play right away and Taula and Fuimaona have very bright futures. All three have the size and athleticism to be good players in the Wildcats’ system.

Defensive Ends

Committed: (2)
Dan Pettinato 6-5, 222 Nevada Union HS – Grass Valley, CA
Mohamed Usman 6-1, 240 Navarro College

Fills Needs: C+
This rating goes up if Pettinato surprises. He’s an unknown commodity at this point, but has intriguing size and if he can develop, then maybe he can bolster the group. Usman is a speed rusher who will get a chance to fight for playing time right away.

Paul Vassallo

Line Backers

 

Committed: (2)
Derek Earls 6-3, 220 North Dakota State College
Paul Vassallo 6-3, 240 Sierra College
Kyle Benson 6-2, 215 Corona Del Sol HS – Tempe, AZ

Fills Needs: B+
The Cats wanted JC backers who could transfer at the semester and found two. Both Earls and Vassallo have great size and are already in the strength and conditioning program. After losing all three starters and their nickel back, the Cats will need both Vassallo and Earls to fight for starting jobs. Benson is overcoming a knee injury but is ahead of schedule in his rehab and he has great upside.

Defensive Backs

WildcatSportsReport.com

Committed: (3)
Jourdon Grandon 6-0, 180 Westview HS – Avondale, AZ
Josh Robbins 6-3, 195 Canyon del Oro HS – Tucson, AZ
Marquis Flowers 6-2, 195 Millenium HS – Goodyear, AZ

Fills Needs: B-
Flowers will see the field right away and could be a starter, but the other two are terrific athletes, but likely projects. The Cats needed a cornerback in the class and did not get a pure cover corner, but did get three quality athletes.

Special Teams

Committed: (1)
Chase Gorham 6-2, 225 Chaparral HS – Scottsdale, AZ

Fills Needs: A
The Cats rarely offer special teams performers, but Gorham is not only a terrific long snapper but a Wildcat legacy.

Arizona hosted a number of players over the weekend and picked up at least one verbal commitment. They also got some bad news on two other recruits.

Tempe Corona del Sol linebacker Kyle Benson pledged to the Wildcats while on his recruiting trip this past weekend.

“I was eating brunch this morning with Coach (Mike) Stoops and he asked what kind of time table I had for making my decision and I just told him that I wanted to come to Arizona,” Benson told Wildcat Sports Report’s Chris Bonney. “He was surprised and excited. He was all set to come here on Thursday and sell me on everything but he doesn’t have to do that now. He was pumped up.”

Although the Cats have two junior college linebackers in the 2010 class, Benson is the lone prep linebacker so far in the class. The Cats not only lose all three starters, but also say goodbye to nickel back Corey Hall who spent a lot of time at linebacker in passing situations.

“Coach (Tim) Kish told me they think that I can play the SAM spot well enough to where they won’t have to bring in a nickel back,” remarked Benson. “I can play close to the line and fill the gaps and I have the speed to be able to cover. I know I can play the position and the coaches have confidence in me that I can do it too.”

Kish was vital to landing Benson, who is ESPN.com’s #33 OLB.

“Coach Kish has been recruiting me since my sophomore year,” he said. “He is basically a part of the family and I trust him so he was a really big part of why I am going to Arizona. He is my position coach and coordinator and I know he is the best fit for me like Arizona is the best fit for me. I want to major in Business Entrepreneurship and they have a great program for that. Overall, for everything in a school and a program, Arizona is just the best fit for me.”

One of the other players the Wildcats hosted was Fountain Valley (CA) RB/Athlete Kyle Middlebrooks. After his visit to Arizona Middlebrooks is still torn between Arizona and ASU.

He told ESPN.com that he will host coaches from both schools before making a decision. He’d like to make one by the middle of next week.

The Wildcats also lost out on a few recruits. JC signee Eddie Elder was denied admission to the UA due to a bad grade in a class he took at San Mateo College. Instead of waiting to re-take the class he decided to look at other schools and will instead enroll at ASU. Unlike the Arizona admissions department, ASU was willing to accept the class.

The Cats also learned that Oakland Tech DT Fred Thompson has committed to Oregon State.