Arizona makes play for Boateng

Edmond Boateng has had the same three scholarship offers for some time. He's thought about them and intends to start taking visits in the near future. It's not as though he hasn't had time to reflect.

A funny thing happens when he's asked if he has an early favorite, though. The New Mexico Military Institute defensive end actually talks himself in to revealing a slight lean. There's no need to press him on the subject. He takes care of that on his own.

"I'm not putting any favorites out there right now," Boateng started. "I think I will have to narrow it down in the next two months because I have to pick a school because I'll be at the school I'm signing with for spring ball. After some upcoming visits, I'll probably have a favorite. If anyone is catching my eye, to say the least, it would probably be Arizona. But I can't really put a favorite on any school right now."

"I know I am definitely going to have an official visit to Arizona. No doubt about it. That will probably be my first visit."

Boateng is tucked away a junior college not categorized as a traditional power. The pipeline of players coming out of New Mexico isn't as full as the ones flowing from states known as junior college hotbeds. That said, it seems unlikely that interest in the three-star prospect will stagnate.

Word is out and more attention is rolling in weekly. USF has joined the fray in recent weeks. Ole Miss is ramping up its pursuit as well. At this point, it seems like it's only a matter of time before Boateng's list of options grows.

"I'd probably say USF will come in there and offer. I'd like to say Ole Miss, too. They have been getting a lot of tape on me. They have been talking to my coaches a lot. That wouldn't be too much of a shocker to me. I don't say that to be cocky or anything like that. I'm blessed to even be talking about any school. Hopefully that will happen, though. That would be a big one."

Originally from Virginia, Boateng didn't pick up football until his family moved to Florida just before he started high school.

Boateng redshirted a season ago and will have three years to play three seasons at the FBS level. He currently holds offers from Miami and Iowa State in addition to the one from Arizona.