The biggest 7-on-7 tournament of the year is currently taking place out here in Vegas. The first day of the tourney just wrapped up. Here were my news, notes and evaluations on all the top UCLA targets I saw this afternoon:
Quarterbacks
-My day started with four-star 2017 QB Tua Tagovailoa, and it's pretty safe to say he's my top QB in the West in this class, and I'm not sure it's close. While I don't think he's a five-star, he can still rip the football better than any other current junior. After he finished lighting up three different teams, Adam Gorney and I spoke with him and came away with the impression that USC led, but UCLA would make a push with Tuiasosopo at the QB helm. Tagovailoa later told our Chris Swanson and several other members of the media, however, that USC is straight up his leader and they're going to be hard to beat, even with Tui now at UCLA. So it might be time to start pivoting here if you're UCLA.
-Four-star Bishop Gorman QB Tate Martell was just OK in the few games I saw. There was nothing to hate about his game, but there also isn't anything elite about him in this setting either.
-Villa Park 2017 QB Nick Sipe once again impressed me. He's a legit 6 feet 3, maybe even 6 feet 4, and he completed about 90 percent of his passes in the game I watched, with his receivers dropping a few passes on him. I really think he's a top five QB in the region this year, and with Tagovailoa and Martell starting to look like longshots, he might be a priority for UCLA here sooner than later.
-San Clemente 2017 QB Jack Sears was out at the tourney today, backing up Sipe, but he didn't throw because of a back injury. I talked to him between games and he seemed to be a bit bothered that UCLA hasn't offered yet. He still keeps in contact with Marques Tuiasosopo daily, but if the Bruins don't offer soon, I think the Sears ship is going to sail away.
-Bishop Gorman 2018 QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson showed off an outstanding arm in the one game I watched from him. It reminded me of a young Malik Henry out here a few years ago before he exploded into a five-star prospect. He reiterated that UCLA is his favorite school and I'd expect them to offer once they see him in the spring.
-A couple guys that will get UCLA interest will be Tristan Gebbia and Tyler Lytle, but I don't think the Bruins will offer either. Gebbia is really skinny still, and Lytle is far too inconsistent, despite a lot of other great tangibles.
Running backs
-Five-star RB Najee Harris was amazing in the game and a half I watched from him. They split him out wide and throw him jump balls and he comes down with it just about every time. He's a monster. He refused to talk to every media member out there today, so your guess is as good as mine as to where UCLA currently stands.
-Four-star RB Stephen Carr was also great again. He's really cemented a spot in the top 50 in the country in my opinion. USC still looks to be the team to beat here.
Wide receivers
-Three-star Jamire Calvin was the top performer here for me today. He was open on every route and was both quick and fast. He might be a little too skinny for UCLA to be an offeree this early, especially considering they're not going to take a bunch of guys, but keep an eye on him in the spring and early summer.
Tight ends
-2018 TE Brevin Jordan probably should have a UCLA offer right now. He's thick, he moves well and he'll be in line to be one of the top TEs in the region next year. He was wearing UCLA gloves and the Bruins look like the runaway favorite here.
-Four-star TE Josh Falo looks like a million dollars, but I don't think he had a single catch in the game or two I saw TMP play in.
Linebackers
-UCLA LB commit Rahyme Johnson is great. This is the second straight week I've thought that about him. He covered better than a lot of the touted safeties out here today. When he puts on the necessary weight, he has a chance to be a very high-ceiling prospect.
-I ran into Lokeni Toailoa, who said they've been working out just about every day and eating right the past few weeks at UCLA and he loves what it's done to his body. He's fired up about spring ball starting in a few weeks.
Defensive backs
-You're not going to find a better cornerback in this region, and maybe even in the country, than Darnay Holmes. He's so athletic that it's just so hard to beat him. Like I reported last week, it still feels like UCLA-Stanford here.
-Three-star UCLA commit Rhedi Short is only asked to cover the flats in the zone defense his team runs, so it was tough to evaluate him out there today.
-I thought three-star DB Trajon Cotton would be a bit better than what he was today given the recent rash of offers he's received. He moved well and was tall and long enough to be a Pac-12 player for sure, but I thought he'd be a Rivals250 caliber player and I'm not sure I saw that out there today. Regardless, he essentially said he's going to commit to UCLA once he sees the gameday atmosphere on a visit.
-Like Short, four-star DB Chaz Ah You wasn't asked to cover in a great deal of man-to-man, but he moved really well out there and you could see the athleticism. He sheepishly admitted after his games that UCLA is probably his current leader, but he has no plans to make a commitment any time soon.
-Four-star Texas DB Derrick Tucker is former teammates with Will Lockett out in Manvel and he said UCLA is currently in his top five. I got the vibe, though, that he'll just use the UCLA visit as an excuse to see California and Lockett. He sounded higher on schools closer to him like TCU.
-I really liked Elijah Gates and Elijah Blades out there today. Gates is super quick and uber athletic. UCLA has offered. Blades is tall and long and is a ballhawk. The buzz out there today was Blades' grades will likely make him unrecruitable, however.
-I think UCLA and Deommodore Lenoir have kind of mutually moved on from each other, but he was probably the best safety I saw out there today. Very physical. I liked him there more than I do at corner.
I should get a few other guys on Day Two tomorrow, so be sure to check back tomorrow evening for the Sunday report.
Quarterbacks
-My day started with four-star 2017 QB Tua Tagovailoa, and it's pretty safe to say he's my top QB in the West in this class, and I'm not sure it's close. While I don't think he's a five-star, he can still rip the football better than any other current junior. After he finished lighting up three different teams, Adam Gorney and I spoke with him and came away with the impression that USC led, but UCLA would make a push with Tuiasosopo at the QB helm. Tagovailoa later told our Chris Swanson and several other members of the media, however, that USC is straight up his leader and they're going to be hard to beat, even with Tui now at UCLA. So it might be time to start pivoting here if you're UCLA.
-Four-star Bishop Gorman QB Tate Martell was just OK in the few games I saw. There was nothing to hate about his game, but there also isn't anything elite about him in this setting either.
-Villa Park 2017 QB Nick Sipe once again impressed me. He's a legit 6 feet 3, maybe even 6 feet 4, and he completed about 90 percent of his passes in the game I watched, with his receivers dropping a few passes on him. I really think he's a top five QB in the region this year, and with Tagovailoa and Martell starting to look like longshots, he might be a priority for UCLA here sooner than later.
-San Clemente 2017 QB Jack Sears was out at the tourney today, backing up Sipe, but he didn't throw because of a back injury. I talked to him between games and he seemed to be a bit bothered that UCLA hasn't offered yet. He still keeps in contact with Marques Tuiasosopo daily, but if the Bruins don't offer soon, I think the Sears ship is going to sail away.
-Bishop Gorman 2018 QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson showed off an outstanding arm in the one game I watched from him. It reminded me of a young Malik Henry out here a few years ago before he exploded into a five-star prospect. He reiterated that UCLA is his favorite school and I'd expect them to offer once they see him in the spring.
-A couple guys that will get UCLA interest will be Tristan Gebbia and Tyler Lytle, but I don't think the Bruins will offer either. Gebbia is really skinny still, and Lytle is far too inconsistent, despite a lot of other great tangibles.
Running backs
-Five-star RB Najee Harris was amazing in the game and a half I watched from him. They split him out wide and throw him jump balls and he comes down with it just about every time. He's a monster. He refused to talk to every media member out there today, so your guess is as good as mine as to where UCLA currently stands.
-Four-star RB Stephen Carr was also great again. He's really cemented a spot in the top 50 in the country in my opinion. USC still looks to be the team to beat here.
Wide receivers
-Three-star Jamire Calvin was the top performer here for me today. He was open on every route and was both quick and fast. He might be a little too skinny for UCLA to be an offeree this early, especially considering they're not going to take a bunch of guys, but keep an eye on him in the spring and early summer.
Tight ends
-2018 TE Brevin Jordan probably should have a UCLA offer right now. He's thick, he moves well and he'll be in line to be one of the top TEs in the region next year. He was wearing UCLA gloves and the Bruins look like the runaway favorite here.
-Four-star TE Josh Falo looks like a million dollars, but I don't think he had a single catch in the game or two I saw TMP play in.
Linebackers
-UCLA LB commit Rahyme Johnson is great. This is the second straight week I've thought that about him. He covered better than a lot of the touted safeties out here today. When he puts on the necessary weight, he has a chance to be a very high-ceiling prospect.
-I ran into Lokeni Toailoa, who said they've been working out just about every day and eating right the past few weeks at UCLA and he loves what it's done to his body. He's fired up about spring ball starting in a few weeks.
Defensive backs
-You're not going to find a better cornerback in this region, and maybe even in the country, than Darnay Holmes. He's so athletic that it's just so hard to beat him. Like I reported last week, it still feels like UCLA-Stanford here.
-Three-star UCLA commit Rhedi Short is only asked to cover the flats in the zone defense his team runs, so it was tough to evaluate him out there today.
-I thought three-star DB Trajon Cotton would be a bit better than what he was today given the recent rash of offers he's received. He moved well and was tall and long enough to be a Pac-12 player for sure, but I thought he'd be a Rivals250 caliber player and I'm not sure I saw that out there today. Regardless, he essentially said he's going to commit to UCLA once he sees the gameday atmosphere on a visit.
-Like Short, four-star DB Chaz Ah You wasn't asked to cover in a great deal of man-to-man, but he moved really well out there and you could see the athleticism. He sheepishly admitted after his games that UCLA is probably his current leader, but he has no plans to make a commitment any time soon.
-Four-star Texas DB Derrick Tucker is former teammates with Will Lockett out in Manvel and he said UCLA is currently in his top five. I got the vibe, though, that he'll just use the UCLA visit as an excuse to see California and Lockett. He sounded higher on schools closer to him like TCU.
-I really liked Elijah Gates and Elijah Blades out there today. Gates is super quick and uber athletic. UCLA has offered. Blades is tall and long and is a ballhawk. The buzz out there today was Blades' grades will likely make him unrecruitable, however.
-I think UCLA and Deommodore Lenoir have kind of mutually moved on from each other, but he was probably the best safety I saw out there today. Very physical. I liked him there more than I do at corner.
I should get a few other guys on Day Two tomorrow, so be sure to check back tomorrow evening for the Sunday report.
