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Three-star tight end Darren Schmitt pledged to the Wildcats last week, joining Seattle-area tight end Henry Gabalis as UA commits from Washington.

The 6-5, 225-pound Schmitt, who also held offers from Cal, Boise State and San Diego State, among others, is entering his senior season at Evergreen High School in Vancouver, Washington. Schmitt was previously committed to Boise State before he flipped to the Wildcats.

Even though Schmitt鈥檚 hometown shares the same name as the Canadian city neighboring Washington, it鈥檚 closer to Portland.

Schmitt committed to Arizona for 鈥渢he coaches, the school,鈥� he said.

鈥淲hen I went to the school for the first time, it was great,鈥� Schmitt said. 鈥淚 knew by the time that I got there, it was somewhere I wanted to go.鈥�

Schmitt and Gabalis will bolster Arizona鈥檚 tight end room, which will lose Keyan Burnett, Sam Olson and Mercyhurst transfer Cameron Barmore to graduation. The Wildcats are expected to return redshirt junior Tyler Powell and incoming freshman Kellan Ford after the 2025 season.

Schmitt joined 鈥淪pears & Ali鈥� on ESPN 大象APPto talk about his commitment to the Wildcats and his path to football.

What separated 大象APPand the UA from the other schools and cities?

A: 鈥淚 love the area. It鈥檚 a beautiful area and I haven鈥檛 seen anything like it, like the weather and the people. The coaches and the staff, I can tell they鈥檙e different from other schools, and I want to be a part of what they have to offer.鈥�

What have the conversations been like with Arizona tight ends coach Josh Miller?

A: 鈥淚鈥檝e had a lot of conversations with him. He鈥檚 one of the best coaches I鈥檝e talked to. He wants to win and he knows what he needs. He has a philosophy in how he can help me grow as a player, athletically and as a person. He鈥檚 just a great coach.鈥�

Has Arizona offensive coordinator Seth Doege gone over his playbook with you? If so, how does your skillset fit into the system at Arizona?

A: 鈥淗e hasn鈥檛 gone too far into his playbook. With my tight ends coach, I was going over what they want to see me do and see if I can implement some of the stuff they do to my game during my senior season. I haven鈥檛 learned the playbook yet, but I think that鈥檚 why I鈥檓 going to early enroll and learn it early.鈥�

What is unique about your hometown of Vancouver, Washington?

A: 鈥淰ancouver is a cool little town. It鈥檚 closer to Portland than anything and we鈥檙e like a little Portland. All my friends and family are here. It鈥檚 not boring. There鈥檚 a lot of lakes, trees, food spots.鈥�

When did you start playing football?

A: 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 start playing football until my freshman year. I was going to play basketball, but one of my friends told me to play football because I was 6-4 as a freshman. He was like, 鈥榊ou can be a tight end,鈥� but I was 155 pounds at 6-4. I wanted to play basketball, because I didn鈥檛 weigh anything. One of my friend got me into football because he knew I was going to be special. It all worked out.鈥�

How did you rise from first-year football player to Division I football recruit?

A: 鈥淲ork. You gotta do stuff you don鈥檛 want to do all the time. ... All the work I鈥檝e been putting in the last two years have paid off. It鈥檚 just about work and dedication.鈥�

Do you have a favorite football team or a player you emulate your game after?

A: 鈥淣ot really. I never really liked football. I got into freshman year, so I didn鈥檛 look up to anyone. If I compared my game to anybody, it would be Kyle Pitts. I could be a similar tight end hybrid.鈥�

If you didn鈥檛 play football, what do you think you鈥檇 be doing?

A: 鈥淧robably a gamer. I love games, hanging out with friends and playing basketball. Xbox is the best console. I don鈥檛 like (PlayStation) or PC, I like Xbox. There鈥檚 a lot of good games on it. I like story games. I don鈥檛 like multiplayer games. I like chilling and having an adventurous time.鈥�

Have you decided what you鈥檙e majoring in and what you want to pursue outside of football?

A: 鈥淧robably in business. I want to be set up for life after college. I also want to do something in sports med or coaching. ... I want to develop players and be a part of a team.鈥�

What kind of player is Arizona getting out of you?

A: 鈥淭hey鈥檙e going to see. Especially with their coaches, it鈥檚 going to be great. Y鈥檃ll are going to see how much work I鈥檒l put in and it鈥檚 going to be great. Y鈥檃ll are going to see.鈥�