Arizona Football Starting Off Great With 2026 Offensive Lineman Recruit
With Brent Brennan taking over the head coaching job at Arizona in January, the 2025 recruiting cycle was basically a wash when it came to putting together a class that is needed to compete amongst the top Big 12 programs going forward.
Brennan was able to do a good job of bringing recruits with him to Arizona who were previously committed San Jose State , putting them at 20 commits in this class with an opportunity to add some more players who remain undecided.
The first real cycle for this coaching staff will be in 2026, and it's imperative they are able to land some of the top players on their board to maintain the high level of talent that has been in this program under former head coach Jedd Fisch.
One clear area the Wildcats will be focusing on is across their offensive line.
Their lone commit in the 2026 class is three-star lineman Michael Langi from the state of California, and they aren't looking to stop there.
6-foot-4, 285-pounder Jerald Mays has emerged as a clear target of theirs, extending him a scholarship offer on May 31 and hosting him for a visit during the summer.
It sounds like the offensive lineman came away impressed, telling Jason Scheer of 247Sports, "My visit to Arizona was fire. You could tell that the players and the coaches really liked each other and spent time together. That's important to me, having a strong relationship with a coach. I haven't talked to them as much since the season started, but Coach Oglesby still hits me up to check on me."
How much they stay on him will be crucial throughout his recruitment.
Mays told Scheer he's also been in regular communication with the likes of Arizona State, Kansas, Michigan State, Ole Miss, Oregon, SMU, Texas Tech, and USC.
Those are some top-of-the-line programs Arizona will be competing with in the early stages.
Mays currently isn't ranked by 247Sports, but following his junior season of high school, updated ratings should come out for the majority of the 2026 class.
He might be a late bloomer, and someone who could become an underrated member of this class as he continues to grow as a player.
This will be something to keep an eye on as Brennan and his staff ideally will get him to campus for another visit and continue to build a relationship with the lineman and his family.
BRAD WAKAI