Golden makes his decision

In what was one of the worst kept secrets in the West region over the last few weeks, Fresno (Calif.) Edison defensive back Robert Golden has decided to end the recruiting process and committed to long time favorite Arizona.

Way back in January when we first talked with Golden, the talented cornerback made it very clear the Wildcats were his leader and he never wavered on that. Moments ago, the athlete called up Coach Stoops to let him know he was ready to be a Cat.

"I've liked Arizona for a few years now," Golden said. "There's a lot of reasons why I committed to them and why I thought it was the best fit for me.

"For one, they have been recruiting me longer than anyone and really made me feel like I was a priority for them. They were one of the first schools to offer me and even last year when they came by the school to recruit Courtney (Viney) they always made a point to make sure I knew how much they liked me.

"The first day in April when coaches were allowed to make campus visits, Coach Stoops was here at our school. Every other program sent an assistant coach out but seeing Coach Stoops here meant a lot to me.

"From a football standpoint, I love Arizona's defense and their style of play. They're very aggressive and let the corners play a lot of man and bump which is what I love to do. I think the depth chart is favorable and I'll have a chance to come in and play early.

"They have already proven they'll let freshmen play if they're good enough because Antoine Cason started as a true freshman and he's projected to be a high first round pick next year. I've been told that I remind people of Antoine and I'm looking forward to getting out there and seeing what I can do and hopefully have the same kind of success he has had."

Golden, 5-11, 170 pounds is truly one of the elite corners in the West and could be the top player at his position in the region this year. He had 76 tackles and four picks a year ago and has all the physical tools as well as the toughness and work ethic to be a big time college player.

We'll have a chance to see Golden up close and personal later this month when he attends the NIKE Camp at Stanford May 19.