Arizona dismisses top recruit Jordan Poland after arrest
Arizona dismissed offensive lineman Jordan Poland from the program on Wednesday, the same day he was arrested for trafficking in stolen property,
According to the Arizona Republic, Poland, 20, was arrested Wednesday for pawning off a microphone that had been reported stolen in a burglary. Tucson police say Poland is not believed to be involved in the burglary, which was reported to police on June 27.
Police say the investigation into the burglary is “ongoing.”
Arizona wasted no time in determining Poland’s status with the team and announced his dismissal in a joint statement from head coach Rich Rodriguez and athletic director Greg Byrne.
“The athletics department and the football program were notified earlier today of an issue involving Jordan Poland. As a result, we have decided that Jordan will no longer be a member of our football team. We will continue to cooperate with the authorities on this matter moving forward,” the statement said.
The 6-foot-7, 343-pound Poland redshirted for the Wildcats in his first season on campus and was expected to compete for playing time as a redshirt freshman. A native of La Jolla, Calif., Poland was a four-star recruit in the 2014 recruiting class. He was rated the 141st-best prospect in the country, the best in Arizona’s class.
For more Arizona news, visit GOAZCats.com.
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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
