Leviticus Su'a has been a top priority for Arizona longer than anybody else on the recruiting board. His decision was finally made official Friday, and patience paid off for the Wildcats. The four-star linebacker from Mater Dei High School committed to UA at the Polynesian Bowl in Hawaii ending a recruitment that goes back more than a year.

Su'a, who picked Arizona over a final group that included Stanford and UCLA, took multiple visits to Tucson eventually feeling strong enough about Jedd Fisch's program to pull the trigger on a commitment.

"Not that I didn't think much of Arizona, but just getting there it's a lot different than if you're not there," he said this week. "Really getting to go inside and see how everything works and how everyone cooperates and works together, that was a huge part," he said. "[They emphasized] really getting the opportunity to come in and possibly play early -- seeing the movement they have going, they played a lot of freshmen this past year."

Su'a has been a priority for defensive coordinator Johnny Nansen since he took over his position last winter. UA was able to add multiple Mater Dei players to the roster upon his arrival in Tucson, and the four-star linebacker quickly became a top target in the 2023 class for Nansen.

One of the big selling points throughout the process for the 6-foot-2 middle linebacker has been the welcoming feeling Su'a has felt when on campus. Not only does he have teammates and friends already on the team, the Polynesian influence across the board from staff and current players made a strong impact on the new commit.

"I'm Samoan, and in our culture family is a huge thing," he said. "... It takes a village, and we believe family is everything. God first then family. So, that family atmosphere with all the Polynesian coaches, it's just a great environment to be in. If you never visited over there you would never understand it."

Another key element in the recruiting process for Su'a has been Fisch's direct involvement in Arizona's pursuit. It proved to be meaningful to have the head coach actively making an effort to land his commitment.

"Really, how genuine it is over there. It feels like a real family environment with all the players, coaches, staff. I know a lot of boys over there too that played with me last year," he said this week when discussing what elements of the program stand out to him. "It was huge knowing that the head guy really took the time out to make the effort to talk to me and check up on me, just help me through my recruiting process."

Su'a is the third four-star commitment for Arizona in the 2023 class joining quarterback Brayden Dorman and offensive lineman Raymond Pulido.