Four-star tight end picks Arizona
AMP Video: Taylor McNamara analysis
Arizona picked up a huge commitment Monday when four-star tight end Taylor McNamara picked the Wildcats over many other national programs mainly because the San Diego (Calif.) Westview prospect found everything he wanted in Tucson and simply felt best there.
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"I'm comfortable with the coaching staff and the chance to play early and I like the people and the players," McNamara said.
"I have two friends going there and one of them is playing football so I'll have people I know there and it's close enough for mom and dad to drive to my games. Playing early is a huge thing and I think I'll have a great chance of coming in and starting immediately. It's exciting."
Cal, Florida State, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Stanford, USC and Washington were some of the other programs recruiting McNamara, a 6-foot-5, 235-pound recruit who's rated No. 84 nationally.
He was clearly the top tight end at the Los Angeles NIKE Camp and seriously considered an early commitment to the Buckeyes only to back away and slow things down in his recruitment.
In the end, Arizona won out for his services.
"I don't know if they were just all over me all the time but when I was down there they just really made me feel at home," McNamara said of Arizona's coaching staff. "They were telling me all the right things and they really pushed for me."
McNamara learned Monday that other coaches won't easily give up. When he was calling around to thank the coaching staffs for recruiting him McNamara said many still want him to visit and it's something he'll talk about with the Arizona coaches.
If they give him the go ahead, McNamara said he would consider taking visits to other schools.
"I have to talk to the Arizona coaches about it," he said.
"I called like six coaches (Monday) to let them know I committed and I wanted to thank them for recruiting and they told me they want me to visit. I'll talk to the Arizona coaches and see what they say. If they let me I will take them."