Coming off its worst season in 45 years, the Arizona football program takes the first step in returning to a bowl game today with national signing day.

Top Recruits Name Position Rating Rank Hometown Richard Kovalcheck QB **** 15 San Diego, CA Kris Heavner QB *** 32 Johnson City, TX Brenton Bolden RB *** 16 Houston, TX Dane Krogstad TE *** 24 Forestville, CA Lionel Dotson DE *** 25 Houston, TX Ryan Kilpatrick DE *** 28 Fort Worth, TX Jason Parker DE *** 59 San Diego, CA Chris Henry ATHLETE *** 43 Stockton, CA Marcus Hollingsworth ATHLETE *** 45 San Diego, CA Syndric Steptoe ATHLETE *** 48 Bryan, TX Marcus Thomos ATHLETE **** 11 Tolleson, AZ ** national position rankings and ratings according to Rivals.com

High school players from around the country will be signing their names to national letter of intent forms, and today at 1 p.m., head coach John Mackovic will announce which recruits will come to Arizona next season.

"Everyone that we have anticipated signing, we are still hopeful that they will," said recruiting coordinator Rob Ianello. "Right now, we are just hoping to hold on to the guys that we have been talking to."

Because of NCAA rules, coaches can't comment on the status of specific players. However, according to several Internet recruiting sites, the second recruiting class in the Mackovic era will be loaded with athletes from California and Texas.

Out of the 22 players who have given the Wildcats a verbal commitment, all but four are from those two states.

One of the bigger recruits the Wildcats hope to sign didn't prep in California or Texas, but locally in Arizona.

Running back Marcus Thomas played at Tolleson High School in the Phoenix area and was named The Arizona Republic's High School Player of the Year this past season. He ran for more than 3500 yards and 46 touchdowns in his senior season and finished his career with 5,878 rushing yards. Despite his impressive numbers, Thomas is actually listed as an athlete instead of running back and is expected to move to receiver at the college level. He is also rated by Rivals.com at No. 11 under the athlete heading.

The Wildcats' highest rated recruit comes out of San Diego. Quarterback Richard Kovalcheck is the No. 15 ranked quarterback in the nation by online recruiting site Rivals.com.

Last season, Kovalcheck threw for 2626 yards and 19 touchdowns at St. Augustine High School and was named to the All-San Diego County team as both a junior and senior.

Considered one of the top high school and college scouting services in the nation, Rivals.com has this year's Wildcat recruiting class as the 28th best in the nation, with Arizona landing two four-star recruits. The site rates players on a four-star system, awarding Kovalcheck and Thomas four stars each.

Of the 22 verbal-commitment players Arizona has received while on the off-season recruiting trail, there are two quarterbacks, three running backs, two offensive linemen, three tight ends, two receivers, five defensive linemen, one linebacker and four defensive backs.

In addition to the impressive class of freshmen coming in, the Wildcats have already received two commitments from junior college players, tight end Ray Gurley and offensive lineman Tom Robinson.

Reports were also released last month announcing that former Wildcat quarterback John Rattay will be returning to UA. Rattay originally came to Arizona after graduating high school early and enrolling at Tennessee.

After dropping on the Volunteer depth chart, the Phoenix native chose to come closer to home, transferring to UA. Rattay left the team after his redshirt freshman season for Pasadena City College in Southern California, and will attempt to walk onto the team after playing last season for PCC.

Rattay suffered a season-ending knee injury in the team's seventh game, but is expected to be ready for action come the start of fall practice.