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Recruiting class solid, experts say

The UA football team's 2000 recruiting class was not ranked among the nation's elite - let alone the top-half of the Pacific 10 Conference - but recruiting experts are still saying the Wildcats have assembled a strong class.

Typical of head coach Dick Tomey-led recruiting efforts, UA focused their recruiting efforts not on star prep-players, but on players who are versatile and can fill the team's immediate needs.

"It looks like a kind of class they typically do pretty well with," CBSsportsline college football editor Anthony Gimino said. "The more you look at it, it is a pretty solid class."

UA was ranked in the mid-30s nationally and anywhere from fifth to ninth in the Pac-10.

Rivals100.com had the Wildcats 33rd overall and fifth in the Pac-10 while CBSsportsline had Arizona seventh in the Pac-10.

The Wildcats rankings tended to slip this year because the recruiting class relied heavily on junior college players.

"This Arizona class, and I have said this in many newspapers around the country, is the class that will ultimately bite me in the butt with not making them a No. 1 (ranked team), they have a ton of potential," Rick Kimbrel, editor of Prepstar.com said. "They will be ranked lower because they are top heavy with junior college players and we value the prep players more."

Heading the class of junior college recruits are place kicker Tommy Kirovski, cornerback Jermaine Chatman and offensive lineman Ralph Zarate.

"Obviously the kicker was huge," Gimino said.

"Arizona's track record with junior college players is pretty good."

Though UA did not sign any of the nation's elite prep football players, they recruited players that will fill immediate needs in the secondary, backfield, kicking game and offensive line.

The Wildcats have followed the recruiting philosophy of schools like Nebraska, Virginia Tech and Kansas State, recruiting players based on the team's needs and the player's versatility.

"They try to do a great job of evaluating players, guys who can run and play football," said Bobby Burton, a recruiting expert for Rivals100.com.

"They aren't looking for the next No. 1 pick, they recruit for need and athleticism.

"I love (running back) Clarence Farmer, (defensive back) Jermaine Chatman, (defensive back) Tony Wingate, (linebacker) Pat Howard, (defensive lineman) Vince Feula, (wide receiver) Ricky Williams and (quarterback) Erik Garcia."

Farmer and Feula are both undersized for their positions, but their versatility and quickness increased their value in the eyes of the Wildcat coaching staff.

"Vince Feula is the kind a guy who always makes a Dick Tomey team better," Kimbrel said.

Burton also praised the signing of Garcia, who, although not a heavily recruited quarterback, has a tremendous upside.

Also, running back Chris Harris was described as "a game breaker" by Kimbrel.

Harris will mostly likely be switched to corner back and help fill the void in the UA secondary.

Feula, Keoki Fraser, running back Anthony Fulcher and Harris were Kimbrel's top-four ranked recruits for the Wildcats.

Kimbrel said Tremaine Cox of Tucson High School "is a sleeper" and should have a bright future with the Wildcats.

Not all went well for UA, as experts said Arizona State won the recruiting battle between the two rivals this year.

"They just got more high profile guys and it looks like a great class," Gimino said.

"The Arizona class, it's probably not going to sell any season tickets but it will serve them well."

Chris Martin can be reached at Chris.Martin@wildcat.arizona.edu.