A look at Arizona’s 4 remaining safeties after Scottie Young’s transfer

Christian Young | Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images

Only two have played significant snaps

The Arizona Wildcats were already hurting for depth at safety but the problem is even worse now after senior Scottie Young Jr. announced Thursday that he has entered the transfer portal and plans to finish his eligibility with another program.

Young started in every game last season and his departure leaves the Wildcats with only four scholarship safeties on the roster heading into the 2020 season. Fellow safeties Troy Young, Chacho Ulloa, and Xavier Bell announced their transfers earlier in the offseason.

Some position changes will undoubtedly be made, but for now here’s a look at Arizona’s four remaining scholarship safeties.

Jarrius Wallace, redshirt senior

Wallace is the most experienced player in the group, appearing in 36 games (nine starts) over the past three seasons. Over that stretch, he has totaled 99 tackles, two interceptions, seven pass breakups and a forced fumble.

Listed at 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, Wallace is versatile, having played free safety and bandit. However, the Louisiana native’s production cratered in 2019, when he logged only 19 tackles at free safety. He did not have any interceptions or pass breakups.

Wallace was a three-star prospect out of John Ehret High School in 2016. His only other Power 5 offer was from Northwestern.

Christian Young, junior

A former three-star recruit, Young has been a contributor since he was a true freshman in 2018, recording 39 tackles, five pass deflections, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries over the past two seasons.

The Houston native has played multiple positions and started the first six games of the 2019 season at bandit, a hybrid free/strong safety position. At 6-foot-2, 217 pounds, he is Arizona’s heftiest safety.

Before enrolling at the UA, Young attended Foster High School in Richmond, Texas and was the No. 859 player in the 2018 recruiting class. He chose the UA over Iowa State.

That was after he totaled 152 tackles, eight interceptions, 18 pass breakups, four tackles-for-loss and three forced fumbles in his high school career.

Rhedi Short, redshirt junior

Short has yet to make his UA debut. The 6-foot-1, 194-pound Los Angeles native was the No. 49 safety in the 2017 recruiting class but has been unable to work his way up the depth chart.

Short was an all-conference player and team captain at Cathedral High School and held offers from UCLA, Oregon, Penn State, Arizona State, Boise State, Cal and a few other Power 5s.

As a senior he registered 47 tackles, 12 pass breakups, two sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in 10 games.

Jaxen Turner, sophomore

After a super productive career at Rancho Verde High School in Moreno Valley, California, Turner appeared in the first six games of the 2019 season at the spur and bandit positions as well as on special teams before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury, which required surgery.

A former three-star recruit, Turner was the No. 77 safety and No. 955 overall prospect in the 2019 recruiting class, according to 247Sports composite rankings. He chose Arizona over the likes of Utah, Cal, Arizona State, Boise State, and Oregon State.

Turner is listed at 6-feet, 189 pounds. In high school, he amassed 158 tackles and 17 interceptions, including three for touchdowns, 16 pass breakups and two fumble recoveries. He also caught 42 passes for 584 yards and three touchdowns and was a four-year starter on the varsity basketball team.

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