Earlier this week Arizona head coach Kevin Sumlin teased a new commitment with a tweet and Thursday morning the decision of three-star offensive line prospect Leif Magnuson was revealed. The Canadian recruit from Bethlehem Catholic in Saskatoon will be headed to the desert to play his college football after committing to the Wildcats over Washington State, Syracuse, Boston College, Indiana, Kansas and others.
The 6-foot-5 prospect is a Washington State legacy prospect but opted to go a different path than his father, Quinn, who played for the Cougars during his college days before going on to a career in the Canadian Football League.
He also had an uncle who played in the NHL and another one who also played in the CFL, so the bloodlines are strong with the new UA pledge.
The Wildcats became involved with the 2020 recruit after the early signing period and turned up the heat in the last couple weeks. UA offensive line coach Kyle DeVan recently made the trek out to Saskatchewan to meet with Magnuson and his family before Arizona's staff decide to offer him shortly after the in-home visit.
Magnuson was previously committed to South Dakota, a decision he originally made back in June, but eventually he backed off that pledge to see what other options might come his way.
"I felt like it started off a bit rough because I had to decommit from my original commitment, which was South Dakota," he previously said. "And that was a little tough because they made me their family and that was tough. But I just needed to see my opportunities a little more and see other schools.”
Magnuson committed to Arizona without taking an official visit, which is expected to take place this weekend with his decision out of the way. Tucson was the option furthest south on his offer list, but Magnuson has already spent time away from home playing football in Canada so distance has not been an issue while going through the recruiting process.
“When you're in Canada and you're going to the States away from home's away from home,” he said. “Whether it's Texas, Kansas, or anywhere you're going, it's far away. So, I think for me it's really just comfort, how I feel with the vibe of the campus and the coaches.”
Magnuson joins Josh Baker, Woody Jean and Cedric Melton as the fourth offensive line pledge in Arizona's 2020 class. Baker and Jean signed with the program back in December with Jean already on campus as an early enrollee. Melton committed to UA back in the summer, but he opted not to sign during the early signing period and will take an official visit to Ole Miss this weekend.
Overall, the Wildcats now have 17 commitments in the 2020 class heading into the regular signing period that begins Feb. 5.
DISCUSS: Magnuson's pledge and read our quick evaluation of the new UA commit