12/14/2020 football Edit

Recruiting news: JUCO DB prospect Antonio Brooks decommitting from Arizona

Matt Moreno • GOAZCATS

Senior Editor

Matt Moreno is the senior editor at GOAZCATS.com. He joined the staff in August of 2011 and began as senior recruiting editor with the site before becoming senior editor in June of 2014.

Arizona has continued to see decommitments since the news of Kevin Sumlin's dismissal of head coach on Saturday. Monday afternoon one of the program's junior college commits joined the group as Kilgore, Texas defensive back Antonio Brooks announced his move to decommit from the program and look at his other options with the plan of signing with a school in February.

"After a long conversation with my family and coaches, I have decided to reopen my recruiting process due to the coaching change at Arizona," he said. "I want to thank all of the Univerity of Arizona coaching staff and well wishes to Coach Sumlin for his future endeavors. I will be waiting for the February Signing Day, so I can make the best decision for me and my family!"

Brooks, who is a Texas native, committed to the Wildcats in October over offers from Baylor, Houston and Louisiana. The plan was to use him as a safety in the Wildcats' 3-4 scheme under coordinator Paul Rhoads. Though he is versatile enough to play other positions, including linebacker.

The two-star recruit finished the 2019 season with 49 tackles, three interceptions and 2.5 sacks in his first season after shining as a running back at Fort Bend Marshall as a high school player. He also had four pass breakups, 3.5 tackles for loss and a forced fumble helping him earn an all-conference nod. That production as a freshman also helped him earn a spot as a JC Gridiron preseason All-American as a member of the third team.

His decision to back away from his commitment to the Wildcats leaves Arizona with just 18 commitments in the 2021 class heading into the early signing period that is set to begin Wednesday.

He is the sixth prospect to decommit from Arizona since the start of December and the fifth member of the program's 2021 class to do so over the last two weeks. Brooks had been one of just a few junior college prospects the Wildcats added to the class heading into the final stretch of the recruiting cycle.

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