Keona Wilhite will end up as one of Arizona's most important recruits in the 2024 class no matter how the rest of the group shakes out. The local defensive lineman from Tucson's Salpointe Catholic is a Power Five-level player with offers to attend schools across the country.

It has been quite some time since the the Wildcats have been able to keep a recruit like that home. Never mind that Wilhite will also now help the program continue to recruit his running mate at Salpointe, four-star defensive end Elijah Rushing.

His decision to commit Monday following an official visit with the local school was an important one in the development of the program under head coach Jedd Fisch. By the time the day came to an end, the Wildcats had secured commitments from four in-state recruits and six prospects overall.

Arizona now has five in-state commitments in the class and could add more when all is said and done in the cycle.

For Wilhite, the opportunity to stay within earshot of those closest to him made all the difference, and he felt what he needed to during his stay with the Wildcats to make the call.

"I chose Arizona because I like the family feel there," he told GOAZCATS.com's Troy Hutchison on Monday. "Then, seeing how my family interacted with everybody and seeing all their smiles, I was like, 'This is a great choice to be here.' I committed early because I've already been thinking about this — comparing my choices and everything.

"It came down to every box, it just came down to Arizona."