Arizona earns flip from Wolma after decision to switch from Northwestern
It didn't take long for Arizona to add another name to its 2017 commitment list. Less than 24 hours after picking up a pair of commitments from California defensive recruits the Wildcats earned another pledge but this one came from in a different part of the country - and a different side of the ball too. Three-star tight end Bryce Wolma from Saline, Michigan gave Arizona his pledge Wednesday afternoon just a few days after doing the same at Northwestern.
Wolma visited Arizona earlier in the year and he is close friends with Rhett Rodriguez and the Rodriguez Family, but when he saw that Northwestern was running out of spots at his position he decided to end things early. Up to that point Arizona had been one of the favorites - if not the leader - to land him.
After thinking things over the last few days Wolma decided Tucson was the place he wanted to be after all and he decided to make the switch on Wednesday.
“I kind of got caught up in everything there," Wolma said of his visit to Northwestern over the weekend. "Before that in my mind it was all Arizona and it was the place I really wanted to go. Northwestern was really impressive and it's obviously a great program and a great staff and all that and so I kind of got caught up in everything. Then the day after that it was just all Northwestern. So when I called the tight ends coach they had a tight end commit that morning I felt like it was on my mind and it was just so impressive that's why I committed then.
"But after a couple days and me taking a step back and looking at everything I realized that Arizona is really the place for me. It's been my dream to play there for four years now. So I realized passing up on that dream is not something I want to do. It feels like home to me and it is home, so that's what helped me make my decision."
Arizona has put an emphasis on adding some more size at tight end and receiver in the 2017 class and Wolma likes what the Wildcats have in store for him when he gets to campus.
“They definitely like my athleticism,” he said after his trip to Tucson earlier in the year. “I’m 6-4, 230 and they tell me that I move well for how big I am. They’re going to use me blocking obviously, but they said that they see me as an athletic player who could detach a little bit and maybe play in the backfield ... all those options. Arizona’s offense is really cool in how it works and it’s so versatile and fast-paced which really fits into my style of play.
“It’s similar to what we run at Saline, my high school, so I’m definitely used to it.”
Wolma joins Arizona's 2017 class less than 24 hours after the Wildcats picked up commitments from Kurtis Brown and Kylan Wilborn. UA now has five commitments total in the class and is currently rated No. 26 in the Rivals.com team rankings for 2017.