The Peach Bowl trophy is displayed next to the Texas Longhorns and Arizona State Sun Devils helmets during the Joint Head Coaches Press Conference at the Westin Peachtree Plaza in Atlanta, Georgia on Dec. 31, 2024, ahead of the Peach Bowl College Football Quarterfinal Game on New Years Day. Texas Longhorns Head Coach Steve Sarkisian joined Arizona Sun Devils Head Coach Kenny Dillingham at the press conference. Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

2026 Arizona State Commit Earns Local Honor

Originally posted on Arizona State Sun Devils on SI
By Kevin Hicks | Last updated Jun 30, 2025 12:00 PM ET

Arizona State's 2026 recruiting class will be the fourth in the tenure of Kenny Dillingham and the third with the program as a member of the Big 12 conference.

The Sun Devils have already secured numerous strong recruits in the upcoming class, most important of which is four star QB Jake Fette.

However, the rest of the class cannot get lost in the excitement of the Fette signing - edge rusher Julian Hugo is one of the current pledges that has potential to be a key contributor in Tempe in the future.

Hugo was recently named as one of the top 10 defensive lineman in the San Antonio area ahead of his senior season - the three star talent was pursued by Arizona, Baylor, Colorado, Houston, Kansas State, North Carolina, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Tech, USC, Utah, and others in competition with Arizona State.

His April commitment should be encouraging to the staff - while it's always a possibility that a de-commitment is in the cards, the culture that Dillingham and his staff have built is one that players gravitate towards.

ALONG THE WIRE TOP 10 2026 DEFENSIVE LINEMEN SAN ANTONIO HSFB #ATW #SATXHSFB @STX7v7

1. @Ju1ianHugo @Football_Steele @SILVERBACKU @CoachBC_ #SunDevilCommit

GFX:@CollisionMagic pic.twitter.com/MvcuFyVGbs
— Along The Wire (@BDammone) June 29, 2025

Second year Arizona State DL Zac Swanson spoke on how the culture that Dillingham has installed has helped him rediscover his love for football earlier in the offseason:

"Mainly, I appreciate this staff so much. They do so much for us, and the main thing is, like, they really create a relationship with their players. Like, a lot of times, programs around the country will just kind of treat the players like they're robots, like they're just football players."

"And it's hard to do that. It's hard to be treated like that and not fall out of love with the game. When the coaches really care for you and want the best for you, and in their eyes, you're not just a football player, it really helps improve your mental a lot, and you realize this is a good spot. Like, football's really actually fun."

The future is incredibly scintiliating in Tempe at the moment under Dillingham and an unusually competent staff.

Read more on projecting where the Sun Devils could finish in what could be a more competitive Big 12 conference in 2025 here.

Please let us know your thoughts on the continued impressive run the Sun Devils have had when it comes to the 2026 class when you like our Facebook page when you click right here.

This article first appeared on Arizona State Sun Devils on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: