As you know, the Arizona Wildcats received a verbal commitment from linebacker Kapri Doucet last week. Here are some things you might not know about Doucet:
- Playing for Lackawanna College in Scranton, Pennsylvania, this past season, Doucet earned NJCAA first-team All-America honors. He also was the Defensive Player of the Year in the Northeast Football Conference after recording 59 tackles (19 solos) and 17.5 stops for losses, including a conference-best seven sacks. Doucet also had two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and one interception, which he returned 84 yards for a touchdown.
- Doucet believes his best is yet to come. “I feel like I haven’t scratched the surface of my ability, of what I’m capable of doing,” Doucet told the Star via phone Sunday night. “I feel like I can do 10 times better than I did in junior college with the proper training and nutrition.”
- Doucet will be tutored by Arizona defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Jeff Casteel, who was his primary recruiter. Doucet, who says he’s 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds, is expected to compete at the “Will” linebacker position where Paul Magloire excelled over the second half of the 2015 season. Magloire moved to linebacker from safety in midseason and conceivably could move back there depending on how things shake out.
- Doucet played outside linebacker at Lackawanna but didn’t rule out the possibility of playing middle linebacker for the Wildcats, who have a vacancy there with Scooby Wright off to the NFL. “Football is football,” Doucet said. “You go and get the person with the ball. That’s how I’ve always viewed it. As long as I’m on the field, it doesn’t matter to me.”
- Although the Pac-12 is obviously a gargantuan step up from junior college, Doucet’s skill set should translate well. He actually began his prep career at Bruton High in Williamsburg, Virginia, as a cornerback before outgrowing the position. At Lackawanna, Doucet played a variety of roles besides linebacker, including punter, holder, running back, kick returner and strong safety.
- Speaking of safety, Doucet said the late Sean Taylor is his all-time favorite football player. “There’s just something about him,” Doucet said. “He’s one of those guys where people say, ‘He was just born to play football.’ ”
- Doucet originally was committed to James Madison but had to go the JC route because of grades. He is supposed to graduate from Lackawanna in May and plans to enroll in summer courses at the UA soon after that. He expects to contribute immediately and is willing to help in “any way I can.”
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UPDATE: Doucet told the Star on Monday that he will re-open his recruitment and re-evaluate his options after the firing of Casteel, who was his primary recruiter and would have been his position coach.
