UCLA Bruins Football: An Underrated But Very Good Recruiting Class Signed
By Derek Hart
Dec 31, 2013; El Paso, TX, USA; The UCLA Bruins logo is displayed on the looker room door before they face the Virginia Tech Hokies at Sun Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre-USA TODAY Sports
TOTAL NUMBER OF RECRUITS: 20
NATIONAL CONSENSUS RANKING (Rivals/Scout/ESPN): 21st
FINAL PAC-12 CONFERENCE RANKING: 4th
NUMBER OF FOUR STARS: Nine
Remember in the 1939 classic “The Wizard Of Oz” when the title character shouts, “Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!”
Well, to paraphrase that famous line, pay no attention to the rankings that Scout, Rivals, and ESPN have put on this class – coach Jim Mora has signed a very good group of recruits to come to Westwood and be Bruins this fall.
Despite the pundits’ notion that UCLA’s class is less than great as several players who they wanted chose to go elsewhere, including three five-star recruits that signed with USC that Mora and his staff made offers to.
The blue-chippers that signed their letters of intent to come to UCLA filled a need on defense in particular as five defensive backs and four linebackers committed out of the 20 new Bruins.
In fact, as I sat in Pauley Pavilion on Wednesday night for the Signing Day Celebration and saw highlights of the newbies, I found myself thinking more than once, “Why was this guy a three-star?”
And one thing that folks never mentioned is that for the second straight year, UCLA signed the Los Angeles Times’ High School Player of the Year, Jadeel Wadood from California state champion St. John Bosco.
Wadood, a defensive back, follows the previous L.A. Times’ winner to Westwood, current freshman wide receiver Thomas Duarte, who made some good contributions for the Bruins this past season.
That UCLA’s class was ranked as low as 26th, no higher than 18th overall, and fourth in the Pac-12 shows a certain lack of respect that remains among at least some in the college football establishment.
Dec 31, 2013; El Paso, TX, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Jim Mora holds the 2013 Sun Bowl trophy after defeating Virginia Tech Hokies 42-12 at Sun Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
Those who ranked the Bruins so low may not have seen that a big factor in the Bruins not landing any five-star trophies was the fact that the positions that those five stars play already have depth; as there will only be six seniors on the squad next season, this is a program that is chock full of young players.
The best description for this class is “Underrated”, as UCLA continues to show good progress in building a championship contending team.
And for those in Bruin Nation who are less than thrilled about the rankings, keep in mind that Myles Jack was a three-star.
And he turned out OK.
Here’s a complete list of the 20 recruits who will suit up at the Rose Bowl this fall:
# = Is already enrolled in school or is planning to do so
* = Four Star
NAME POSITION HT/WT HIGH SCHOOL
Matt Dickerson DL 6-5/280 Serra – San Mateo, CA
Denzel Fisher DB 6-2/175 Centennial – Compton, CA
Cameron Griffin LB 6-3/215 View Park Prep – Los Angeles, CA
Mossi Johnson DB 6-0/180 Crenshaw – Los Angeles, CA
Jordan Lasley WR 6-2/190 Serra – Gardena, CA
Kolton Miller OL 6-8/305 Roseville – Roseville, CA
Adarius Pickett * # DB 6-0/185 El Cerrito – El Cerrito, CA
Austin Roberts * WR 6-2/215 Carmel – Carmel, IN
Ron Robinson # DB 6-2/195 Santiago – Corona, CA
Aaron Sharp QB 6-3/195 Summer Creek – Houston, TX
Ainuu Taua * DL 6-0/298 Lompoc – Lompoc, CA
Najee Toran # C 6-3/275 North Shore – Houston, TX
Jacob Tuioti-Mariner * DL 6-3/265 St. John Bosco – Bellflower, CA
Alex Van Dyke * WR 6-4/205 Cosumnes Oaks – Elk Grove, CA
Jaleel Wadood * DB 5-11/175 St. John Bosco – Bellflower, CA
Zach Whitley * # LB 6-2/225 North Shore – Houston, TX
Dwight Williams LB 6-1/212 Serra – Gardena, CA
Kenny Young * LB 6-2/225 John Curtis Christian – River Ridge, LA
Nate Starks * RB 5-11/200 Cherry Creek – Englewood, CO
Malcolm Bunche OL 6-6/315 University of Miami (transfer)