TRANSFER NEWS: Arizona lands standout UTEP receiver Jacob Cowing
Arizona's receiving room added another boost Monday. The Wildcats picked up one of the top available players in the NCAA Transfer Portal when UTEP receiver Jacob Cowing announced his plans to return home to play at Arizona. The sophomore from Maricopa currently sits in the ninth spot among all FBS receivers in yards this season after catching 69 passes for 1,354 yards receiving in the 2021 season with the Miners.
Cowing caught seven touchdown passes this season and went over 100 yards receiving in eight of 13 games in 2021 pushing several notable programs to offer him upon entering the portal back on Dec. 21.
Since that time programs such as Oregon, LSU, South Carolina, Arizona State, Louisville, Virginia Tech and Texas Tech all joined the race with offers for the 5-foot-11 playmaker.
"I just want to say thank you to all the coaches I have contacted these past couple weeks was truly an honor!" Cowing posted in a message on social media announcing his decision. "With that being said after a long talks and the relationship I’ve grown with the coaching staff I have decided to commit to University of Arizona for my last two years‼️"
Sunday, the Arizona native announced his plans to make a decision in addition to releasing a final list that left UA, Oregon, LSU, South Carolina and Florida as the schools still in play.
The Wildcats have overhauled their receiver room already this offseason and quickly moved to make Cowing a priority. He will join newcomers such as five-star receiver Tetairoa McMillan, AJ Jones and Kevin Green Jr. in the UA receiver room in the 2022 season.
Though he only recently wrapped up his sophomore season, Cowing will provide the Wildcats with a veteran presence after several departures of experienced players since the beginning of the offseason.
He has played in 33 games throughout his career with the Miners and has started all but five of them. Cowing enters his career with Arizona having already caught 141 passes for 2,594 yards receiving and 13 touchdowns.
Though he shined in the shortened 2020 season with 41 receptions and 691 yards, Cowing hit a new level in his final season in El Paso. He finished up 2021 as a first-team selection in Conference USA after his impressive season that put him fourth in Miners history for a single season with his 69 catches.
Cowing's 13 100-yard receiving games leaves him in a tie for the most ever at UTEP.
His production at receiver should help the Wildcats overcome the loss of leading receiver Stanley Berryhill III, a redshirt junior who decided to enter his name into the NFL Draft after the season. Berryhill led the Wildcats with 83 catches and 744 yards receiving in 2021.
Because of the NCAA's one-time transfer rule, Cowing will be immediately eligible to play for the Wildcats in 2022 with two seasons of remaining eligibility total.
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