Colorado State graduates three senior offensive linemen this year and the team is looking to the junior college ranks for help securing the line for next season. The Rams recently received a verbal commitment from El Camino Community College lineman Marvin Arnold (6’3”/285 lb). Arnold was a starting tackle, but could play guard as well.

El Camino assistant coach Gene Engle confirmed Arnold’s commitment.

“He took a few trips,” Engle said. “He really enjoyed himself at CSU.”

Engle said that Arnold will not be a mid-year transfer and will have to wait until February 1 to sign his Letter of Intent. Arnold will then join the Rams for fall practice. In early December, he visited Kentucky, which offered him a scholarship. The following week, he visited CSU (the weekend of December 9). Following his visits, Arnold told Scout.com that he liked his visit to CSU, but “liked the one to Kentucky better." The Wildcats, however, pulled their offer after another lineman committed. Arnold had a January 20 visit scheduled with Mississippi, but decided to commit to CSU instead of waiting.

Arnold, a three-star prospect according to Scout.com, was recently named first-team All-Mission Conference (National Division) and played in all 11 games as a freshman in 2004. He was a three-year starter at Carson (Calif.) High School, and was first-team All-Conference as a senior. Arnold displayed excellent speed for his size when he ran a 5.05 forty-yard dash at a junior college combine in May. He also did 16 bench press reps at 225 lb.

Out of Carson High, Arnold was recruited by Fresno State, San Jose State, Oregon, Oregon State, and Nevada, but didn’t have the grades and decided to go the junior college route. This year, aside from Kentucky, CSU, and Ole Miss, he heard from such schools as Kansas State, Nevada, Marshall, Louisiana-Lafayette, and Oregon. He plans to major in general studies and is considering being a school teacher. Arnold will have 3 1/2 years to play 2 at CSU.

On a separate note, Arnold may be the only junior college transfer signed this offseason for the Rams. Last summer, CSU got an early verbal commitment from defensive lineman Robert Claypool (6’2”/280 lb) from Navarro College in Texas, but RamNation has learned that Claypool is unlikely to wind up at CSU. It’s unclear whether the parting of ways was mutual, but Claypool suffered an undisclosed injury this year, which could be part of the reason. CSU wanted to sign Claypool out of Aurora’s Overland High School, but he did not qualify academically. Claypool was pointed to Navarro with the help of the Ram staff with the plan he would enroll at CSU when completed. Claypool may qualify for a medical redshirt and play for Navarro in the fall. He could still transfer at mid-year with two years of eligibility remaining, or enroll at another school this fall with three years left.