JUCO offensive lineman Sam Langi commits to Arizona
Connections are especially important in a time when in-person recruiting is not allowed to take place. A relationship between his coach at College of San Mateo and Arizona's Taylor Mazzone helped offensive line prospect Sam Langi's hope come to fruition. The 6-foot-5 junior college recruit from South San Francisco wanted to play at the Power Five level especially if he could do so in the Pac-12.
However, those programs had not been pursuing him as much as other schools had earlier in the process. That changed when the Wildcats started to make it clear that Langi had their attention last month.
The relationship intensified and Saturday he decided to make his commitment to the program public giving the Wildcats another offensive line prospect in the 2020 class and another piece to help with the future of the program.
Langi, who has three years of eligibility to play two, is planning to redshirt this season but his excitement about joining Kevin Sumlin's program is at a high level after he had to wait to get the offer he wanted.
"I was excited when I first heard from them, because I knew they were Pac-12," Langi said Saturday after making his decision. "That was my goal to get Pac-12 or higher. It was surprising to get it, but I'm just thankful to be able to have this opportunity to further my academic and football career."
Langi didn't get to make it out to Arizona's campus before making his decision since the NCAA put an emergency dead period into place soon after his relationship with the Wildcats began. So, the junior college standout had to rely on his relationships built over the phone with Mazzone and offensive line coach Kyle DeVan – along with his own research – to make his college choice.
"I did my research," he said. "I did my research on the coaches. I knew coach DeVan was an experienced football player in the NFL, so I knew he would guide me in a process that would make me a better football player. I thought it was going to be best for me, and my head coach guided me throughout this process, too.
"He helped me with this decision. It was a pretty easy commitment."
Despite the final decision being an easy one, the recruiting process certainly had its twists and turns for the new Arizona offensive line pledge. Once the Wildcats started to enter the picture is when things began to clear up for the junior college offensive lineman.
"My recruiting process was up and down," Langi said. "I would have some interest and then it would go away. Arizona popped up later in the recruiting process, and I automatically was familiar with them and already excited. My interest in them skyrocketed and I knew I was in good hands with them.
"... It started off with a follow on Twitter from coach DeVan. Then we got to know each other a little bit more. With the interest I had before, Arizona just beat everybody."
Langi is the second offensive lineman the Wildcats have added in recent weeks after Grand Valley State transfer Matthew Stefanski picked Arizona after visiting campus during spring practice.