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Gunslinger Grant Gunnell among Arizona Wildcats commits showcasing potential

Justin Spears
Sep 20, 2018
Sep 20, 2018 Updated Oct 20, 2018

A quick rundown of four notable recruits committed to the Arizona Wildcats for 2019.

These 4 UA commits are flashing college potential

Several Arizona Wildcats commits and targets will showcase their talents as another slate of high school football plays out this week.

The Star takes a look at four notable recruits who are currently committed to UA, including how the selected group performed last week and other recruiting notes.

Here are four athletes you should keep an eye on:

Grant Gunnell, QB, Houston (St. Pius X)

St. Pius vs. Concordia L - HSFB (copy) — Arizona Wildcats quarterback commit Grant Gunnell broke both Texas state career records for passing yards and passing touchdowns.
Tim Warner / Houston Chronicle

The rundown: Gunnell is a 6-foot-6-inch, 217-pound gunslinger who hasn’t lost a regular season game since October 2017.

A couple of weeks ago, the Star’s Michael Lev caught up with Gunnell following a 388-yard, six-touchdown performance. UA offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone coached Brock Osweiler at ASU and Josh Rosen at UCLA. Gunnell and Mazzone’s relationship might already be off to a great start considering both Osweiler and Rosen were successful in college, and Gunnell fits the mold: big bodies that have cannons for arms.

“Those are guys that look like me — spitting images,” Gunnell said. “That was one of the main things I was looking for. I’m kind of what he wants.”

St. Pius X is 4-0, and Gunnell already has 1,657 yards through the air. The Houston native is on pace to throw for 3,314 yards as a senior this season.

Thursday: 411 passing yards, seven total touchdowns in a 46-34 victory over Manor (Texas).

For more on the Texan quarterback, check out Grant Gunnell 'drives the car' for one of Texas' best teams

Michael Wiley, RB, Houston (Strake Jesuit HS)

The rundown: Think of Wiley as the next coming of Wildcats running back J.J. Taylor. The 5-foot-11-inch Wiley is shifty, and once he gets past the offensive line, he is tough to bring down. Wiley has 403 yards and four touchdowns on 58 carries this season.

Last week: 73 yards, 16 carries, two touchdowns

Kyle Ostendorp, P, Phoenix (Desert Vista)

The rundown: Arizona’s punting woes are solved for now with graduate transfer Dylan Klumph at the helm, but the unfortunate part about grad transfers is they are only for rental. Klumph’s potential replacement could be 2019 commit Kyle Ostendorp. He ranks third in Arizona for yards per punt (45.1) and has four kicks inside the 20-yard line this season. His longest is 56 yards.

Last week: One punt for 54 yards

Jordan Morgan, OT, Tucson (Marana)

The rundown: Fresh off Jordan Morgan’s offer from USC, it was no surprise that UA offensive line coach Joe Gilbert would be in attendance to watch the Wildcats’ lone offensive line commit.

Morgan and Marana High School lost to Gilbert Williams Field last Friday night after the Tigers went scoreless in the second half. Morgan held his own against Williams Field’s athletic defensive line and didn’t allow a sack.

The Star spoke to Morgan following last week’s loss about what an offer from a program like USC meant to him.

“It’s pretty crazy; it’s insane,” Morgan said. “They texted my phone like two days ago and told me to keep up the good practice and hard work in the season, and they just called and offered.”

Despite a verbal pledge to the Wildcats, Morgan is keeping his options open until national signing day in December.

His only official offer other than USC and Arizona is from NAU.

“I’ll stay open for a while until December,” Morgan said.