UCLA August recruiting recap

The UCLA Bruins are in the thick of it, on the cusp of a top-half recruiting class in the Pac-12 for the class of 2021. Though they’ve been quiet late, compared to their counterparts, the Bruins still have the pieces intact towards what could be a solid all-around class. But rounding this class out with some top-ranked players would be integral.

According to the recruiting rankings at 247Sports and a piece I wrote for PacificTakes, the Bruins recruiting snapshot looks like this:

Current Class of 2021 Ranking: 7
Highest-rated commit: 4-star ATH Devin Kirkwood
Total commits: 13

Commitments as of September 1:

4-star ATH Devin Kirkwood (CA), 6’3, 175; National: 253, Pos: 13, State: 25
3-star OT Thomas Cole (CA), 6’7, 265; National: 385, Pos: 32, State: 37
3-star WR Keontez Lewis (IL), 6’2, 185; National: 445, Pos: 67, State: 11
3-star OLB Devin Aupiu (CA), 6’5, 215; National: 551, Pos: 34, State: 50
3-star OG Noah Pulealii (CA), 6’4, 300; National: 570, Pos: 28, State: 55
3-star WR Ezavier Staples (CA), 6’2, 182; National: 609, Pos: 97, State: 56
3-star QB Kajiya Hollawayne (CA), 6’3, 206; National: 615, Pos: 17, State: 58
3-star WR DJ Justice (CA), 6’1, 180; National: 632, Pos: 100, State: 60
3-star OT Garrett DiGiorgio (CA), 6’7, 295; National: 658, Pos: 54, State: 61
3-star ATH Isaiah Newcombe (AZ), 6’1, 185; National: 851, Pos: 62, State: 10
3-star RB Deshun Murrell (AL), 5’11, 185; National: 869, Pos: 54, State: 33
3-star DE Tyler Kiehne (NM), 6’3, 250; National: n/a; Pos: 76, State: 1
3-star OC Benjamin Roy (NV), 6’3, 275; National: n/a; Pos: 17, State: 9

And the writeup, went as such:

“The Bruins hit the summer months heavy but have trailed off as of late. They still have some important pieces already committed, like securing 3-star dual-threat QB Kajiya Hollawayne after Miller Moss committed to USC. They’ve got just about every position you could cover in the bag already and are high on the list for some top-name prospects like 4-star ILB Ethan Calvert, 4-star RB Byron Cardwell, 4-star G Josh Simmons and 4-star athlete Titu Mokiao-Atimalala, each of whom would be great in-state gets, or in Makiao-Atimalala’s case, a great keep on the west coast as he hails from Hawaii.”

The Bruins are high on multiple players lists including those mentioned above. They’re one of the few finalists for Calvert, though he’s pegged as a USC lock. They’re one of five on the top list for Cardwell, and no prediction is there from the 247Sports Crystal Ball. They’re on the short list for Simmons, though again, 247Sports pegs him to the Trojans. And they’re also high on the list for Mokiao-Atimalala, even if he’s considered a lock to Notre Dame.

Head coach Chip Kelly can do an incredible job towards saving his job if he were to lock up some of these top-ranked recruits, but looking into it through the eyes of those who know these recruits and the process best, it seems as though Kelly is also on the outside looking in on finishing off this class in the top half.