Arizona's status in the recruiting pecking order is interesting, to say the least. After two exceptional recruiting seasons, Arizona's ranking will be off this year. The primary reason is one of numbers. In both 2005 and 2006 Arizona landed 26 recruits. This year they have only sixteen.

The 2005 and 2006 classes came after the disastrous 2004 class which saw the school land only one All-American level player and ten All-Region types. Seventeen players were two star athletes, one had the lowest level, a one star rating.

The 2002 and 2003 classes were somewhat better, 2002 with four All-American types and fourteen All-Region player wsn'nt too bad, 2003 had two All-American types and sixteen All-Region players. The balance of each class earned two-star ratings.

Translated, what all of this means is that Arizona, prior to 2005 mainly landed players that were at a level unacceptable to Arizona fans and would have been intolerable to any other school in the PAC-10.

The classes in 2005 and 2006 were very good classes from the point of view of numbers and overall quality. They seem to be proving themselves on the field as well. Of the 51 recruits landed in those two seasons, one was the equivalent of a Dream Team All-American, fifteen were All-Americans at some level and 31 were All-Region players. Only four were two-star players.

The 2007 class is solid, but only has sixteen players, including All-American level types, standout tight end Rob Gronkowski, linebackers Apalata and Vuna Tulhalamaka and superior defensive lineman Kaniela Tuipulotu, perhaps the best defensive lineman in the Islands (see the PrepStar feature story about him this past weekend). The focus was on defense with no less than eight with the potential to make major contributions over the next four or five seasons. Three athletes are on the list, along with one kicker, one quarterback, one running back, one tight end and one wide receiver. All can play.

This is a solid class that will contribute, a class that is only cut short by the lack of numbers. The general understanding is that more scholarships will be available next season.

Gronkowski is a super tight end with a gigantic upside, he can easily add another thirty pounds, maybe more, which would put him over 260 pounds. If he adds more than that, he could move to the offensive or defensive interior lines. He would even stand out on the line.

The Tuihalamakas and Kaniela Tuipulotu are very likely to play immediately. They have the potential to play on Sundays, if they take care of business in the classroom and on the playing field. At least twenty schools mourn the loss of Kaniela to Arizona.

The staff at Arizona should be praised for this class. They have made the most of what limited resources they had available this year. Every player has an impressive upside. The "athletes" offer the flexibility to play a number of positions, each potential extra position being regarded as worth another scholarship by virtualy college coach in the country. Barry Alvarez, the former Wisconsin head coach, who made a living recruiting "athletes," maintains that position.

Arizona has done well with limited numbers.