Murphy bags Arizona offer

Connor Murphy now has two options to stay in the Grand Canyon State.

On Wednesday afternoon, the 6-foot-7, 250-pound defensive end from Phoenix (Ariz.) Brophy Prep added a big offer from the Arizona Wildcats to his list, which already included nearby Arizona State.

"One of the Arizona coaches was going to come down to my school later in the week and I was supposed to find out then, but they just told me over the phone," Murphy said. "It's exciting because they're getting prospects and getting talent in there."

Murphy, a three-star prospect and the No. 5-rated player in Arizona for the 2016 class, has gotten a good feel for both of the in-state schools.

"I'm super excited about the fact that I have a chance to stay close to home if I want to," Murphy said. "I'm an Arizona native and I love it here. This is where I grew up and I wouldn't want to leave, I guess. We'll see where I find the best fit, but I'm happy knowing that I can go to ASU and U of A. If I went to either school, my family could go to all my games and that would be great."

Yet, Murphy said seeing other schools and campuses would be the only way for him to know if Arizona is the right place for him. He and his father are set to sit down soon to plan some out-of-state trips.

"I don't have any trips yet on my agenda, but I want to get out to a ton of schools this summer," Murphy said. "We've also got the Under Armour underclassmen combine coming up, so I'm preparing for that. U of A is close, so I'd be stupid not to head down there for a visit soon, especially now that I have an offer. I also want to visit Vanderbilt. I love coach [Derek] Mason and I've been wanting to check them out. I've been interested in Oregon State and would want to get a feel for that school, too."

The Beavers' hire of Gary Andersen was another intriguing factor, Murphy said.

"I don't really know a whole lot about [coach Andersen], but I would love to get on the phone with him and find out what he's all about," he said.

As more programs enter the picture, Murphy intends to keep an open mind heading into his senior year.

"One of the things Arizona State, Vandy and even USC have told me is that they love how I crash to the football," Murphy said. "They like how I use my hands and how aggressive I am. I'm a blue-collar, hard-nosed player, and that's what they want on their teams."

Despite dealing with constant double-teams throughout the year, Murphy had 12 tackles for loss, 70 total tackles and two fumble recoveries as a junior.