Arizona Making Progress With Talented 2027 Defensive Lineman

Over the past few weeks, the 2027 recruiting cycle has become Arizona head coach Brent Brennan and his staff’s top priority, as the Wildcats continue to make significant progress with several of their top targets in the class.

One of those targets is a three-star defensive lineman from Utah, who is reportedly planning a visit to Tucson with the Wildcats this spring.

3-Star 2027 Defensive Lineman Eyeing Arizona Visit

On Jan. 27, Arizona extended an offer to Aniti Paiva, a three-star defensive lineman from Skyline High School in Draper, Utah. He shared on X that the Wildcats had offered him and thanked defensive line coach Joe Salave'a for the opportunity.

I continue to be grateful for the ones that believes in me. Blessings. Thank you @CoachJsalavea for making the trip to meet me in person. I am extremely excited to announce, I have earned a P4 scholarship offer with the wildcats @ArizonaFBall. God is good. He is the way, the… pic.twitter.com/YlBWPw9fHz
— 3⭐️Aniti “Andy” Paiva (@PaivaAniti) January 27, 2026

“I continue to be grateful for the ones that believes in me,” Paiva wrote. “Blessings. Thank you [Coach Salave’a] for making the trip to meet me in person. I am extremely excited to announce, I have earned a P4 scholarship offer with the wildcats.”

Since offering him, the Wildcats have made significant progress in his recruitment. While several schools are actively pursuing Paiva, Rivals’ Marcus Benjamin recently highlighted a few programs that stand out to the three-star defensive lineman and reported that he plans to visit Arizona and Penn State this spring.

Arizona helme — Nov 25, 2022; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Detailed view of an Arizona Wildcats helmet on the field during the Territorial Cup at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

“Arizona, Boise State, FIU, Penn State, San Diego State, and UNLV are all in contact and hoping to get the 6-foot-3, 300-pounder on campus for a spring visit,” Benjamin wrote. “Plans are underway to set visit dates with the Wildcats and Nittany Lions.”

Although he’s only a Junior at Skyline, Paiva already has the size to play at the Power Four level, standing 6’3” and weighing 300 pounds. He’s also a talented prospect, and his recruitment has gained momentum over the past few months.

Arizona footbal — Nov 22, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats defensive lineman Mays Pese (99) and Julian Savaiinaea (41) against the Baylor Bears at Casino Del Sol Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Paiva would be a welcome addition to the Wildcats' 2027 class, with 247Sports’ composite rankings listing him as the No. 828 overall player in the country, the No. 9 defensive lineman, and the No. 11 prospect from Utah.

As of now, there’s no clear frontrunner in Paiva’s recruitment, and several programs are pursuing the young defensive lineman, making solidifying a visit with him all the more crucial for Brennan and his staff.

While the Wildcats will face competition from several schools for Paiva, if they can continue making progress with him over the next few months and impress him during his visit to Tucson this spring, Arizona should be very much in the mix for one of the top defensive linemen in the 2027 class.

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