TRANSFER UPDATE: Miami CB Demetrius Freeney announces commitment to Arizona

Sunday turned into an important day for Arizona as Brent Brennan and his staff continue to build the roster for the fall. All three of the latest commitments for the Wildcats have a connection back to Brennan's previous home territory, and the latest could fill an important need for the team this year.

Following a commitments from Stanford outside linebacker Lance Keneley and College of San Mateo receiver Jeremiah Patterson, Miami transfer cornerback Demetrius Freeney gave Arizona his pledge Sunday following a weekend visit to Tucson.

The 6-foot, 190-pound junior played in three games last season with the Hurricanes after transferring to Miami from College of San Mateo. Freeney announced offers from Utah State, New Mexico and Western Illinois after entering the transfer portal in late April.

Coming out of CSM as a member of the 2023 class, Freeney added offers from Oklahoma, Louisville, Colorado, Houston and Indiana among others. San Jose State and current UA cornerbacks coach Chip Viney also offered the San Leandro, California native at the time.

He ultimately went with the Hurricanes but mostly was used on special teams.

In his lone season on the field at CSM, Freeney pulled in two interceptions to go with six pass breakups and 10 tackles across seven games in 2022. If he opts to use the 2023 season as a redshirt year, Freeney will have three seasons of remaining eligibility at Arizona.

The Wildcats are looking to solidify the cornerback position after the departure of Ephesians Prysock to Washington earlier in the offseason. Freeney could fill the role opposite Tacario Davis while battling with other players including Jai-Ayviauynn Celestine and Emmanuel Karnley.

Arizona now has added 10 transfer players during the spring recruiting window but Freeney is the first defensive back among that group.

RELATED: Stanford edge rusher Lance Keneley commits to Arizona

LS Justin Holloway (Ohio)

QB Anthony Garcia (San Jose State)

TE Sam Olson (San Jose State)

DL Jarra Anderson (Memphis)

OL Michael Wooten (Oregon)

DE Chase Kennedy (Utah)

WR Reymello Murphy (Old Dominion)

OL Jonah Rodriguez (San Diego State)

DE Lance Keneley (Stanford)

CB Demetrius Freeney (Miami)

Arizona may soon make College of San Mateo a satellite campus if the current trend continues. The Wildcats have been active in bringing players from the Bay Area junior college to Tucson this offseason. It makes sense when you look at the background of the coaching staff and the success of the California junior college.

Sunday, that momentum continued with Patterson announcing his plan to join Arizona following some of his teammates to UA.

The 5-foot-9 playmaker shined during his time at CSM and finished atop the receiving lists in 2023. He caught 55 passes for 790 yards and 11 touchdowns last year to go along with over 350 yards on special teams and a punt that he returned for a touchdown as well.

That playmaking ability grabbed the attention of several schools from across the country, but USC was the only Power 4 program that expressed serious interest with a preferred walk-on offer for the two-star recruit.

UNLV, Eastern Michigan, Bethune-Cookman, Ohio, San Jose State and Georgia State all jumped into the mix with offers.

Ultimately, he decided Sunday that Arizona will be his new home joining fellow College of San Mateo transfers Johno Price and Cyrus Durham with the Wildcats. Patterson is the fourth junior college transfer to join Arizona's 2024 class along with Price, Durham and Golden West College (Huntington Beach, Calif.) defensive back Marquis Brown.

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