The Arizona football team received its 13th verbal commitment for the 2008 campaign Aug. 12 when four-star prospect Jarrell Barbour contacted the UA coaching staff and informed them he would become a Wildcat.

There was speculation that Barbour, the No. 2 player in Arizona according to recruiting Web site www.rivals.com, would postpone his verbal commitment to any school. But the 6-foot-3, 190-pound defensive back quickly chose Arizona as his future stomping grounds.

“”You can’t let guys of Jarrell’s caliber get out of your state,”” said Allen Wallace, national recruiting editor for recruiting Web site www.scout.com and publisher of SuperPrep magazine. “”He’s a long strider with some really nice speed.””

Barbour, who scored 15 touchdowns for Peoria’s Centennial High School in 14 games last season, chose Arizona despite having offers from Michigan, Louisville, ASU, Colorado, Nebraska and Oklahoma.

Attempts to contact Barbour were unsuccessful yesterday.

The Wildcats signed a flurry of defensive backs this summer, including fellow four-star recruit Robert Golden from Edison High School in Fresno, Calif., who has been in contact with Barbour, according to recruiting Web site www.goazcats.com.

Golden, who is on www.Rivals.com‘s top-100 prospect list for 2008, has made continuous efforts to lure recruits who have shown interest in Arizona to Tucson.

Quarterback Gerell Robinson, Arizona’s top player who verbally committed to Arizona on June 18, also has been in contact with Golden, and said their friendship was one of his deciding factors when choosing his school.

Players can sign national letters of intent in February.