Make it a dozen.

Arizona’s 2008 football recruiting class has grown even larger. Zander Fabbri, a 6-foot-1, 245-pound inside linebacker from Bakersfield, Calif., called the Arizona coaches and verbally committed last Monday.

Fabbri, 17, made his decision a week after his unofficial visit to the UA campus, where he met with the Wildcats’ coaches, team managers, strength coach and the dean of the business school.

“”My mind was made up when I visited there,”” Fabbri told http://www.goazcats.com. “”There’s a small-town feel there, except it’s a big city. It reminds me of Bakersfield. I’m used to the heat and everything, so I felt I’d fit in.””

Rivals online recruiting service lists Fabbri as a three-star recruit, the 55th-best prospect in California and the 23rd-best inside linebacker in the nation. The farmer’s son is the first linebacker to give his word for the 2008 season.

As a fullback during his junior season, Fabbri had 833 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns, but the Wildcats like him better at linebacker. He chose Arizona over offers from San Diego State and Colorado State, as well as interest from ASU, USC, UCLA, Washington and Washington State.

Fabbri said he liked the way the practice field, stadium, weight room and the coaches’ offices were set up, and he also liked the layout of the baseball and basketball facilities.

He has also built a strong relationship with the Wildcat coaching staff, especially UA head coach Mike Stoops, Joe Robinson, defensive ends coach and special teams coordinator, and assistant head coach Tim Kish, who works with linebackers.

“”JoeRob is the best, I talk to him a lot,”” Fabbri said of Robinson. “”Me and Kish text a lot, and I just met Stoops when I went down (to Tucson) and talked to him. He told me he wanted me to be the next Tedy Bruschi and Lance Briggs, and he likes my style of play.””

Players can sign national letters of intent in February.