The Arizona Wildcats need to rebuild their front seven very soon, and A.J. Hilliard could be a cornerstone of the new defensive structure. The linebacker from Klein Oak in Texas will be suiting up for the Wildcats in 2012; Brian Perroni of Rivals provided the original story. Hilliard had offers from numerous other schools, including Boise State, Houston, Kansas, Louisiana Tech, Louisville, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nevada, West Virginia and Wyoming.
Here are reports on Hilliard's recruiting tape.
- Rivals: 15th best inside linebacker, 64th best recruit in Texas
- ESPN: Grade of 78, 53rd best outside linebacker
- Scout: 68th best outside linebacker
Hilliard is considered a rising star in Texas, and could very well see an upgrade in his rankings at a future point. But this does seem like a solid get for Mike Stoops to help fill up a desperate well of need for Arizona football.
For more on Wildcats recruiting, go to Arizona Desert Swarm.