It is the biggest weekend of official visit season for UCLA. The Bruins are hosting eight recruits in the 2023 class on official visits this weekend. It is certainly an impressive group and it is very likely that you will see another commitment come from this group in the near future. Here's a quick rundown of who is on campus this weekend with any important notes about the prospects. I was able to chat with both Raymond Pulido and Elishah Jackett to preview their official visits this weekend. I am not expecting either one to commit on the visit, but UCLA is heavily in play with both prospects and arguably among the top two for both offensive linemen.
Other notable offers: Oregon, Arizona, Cal, Notre Dame, USC
If there's someone to put on commitment watch this weekend it is the four-star inside linebacker from San Diego. Tre Edwards has not set up any of his other official visits, but he has visited all the schools at the top of his list so far. Oregon and Arizona are the two schools truly in play right now and the main competition for the Bruins. However, the feeling is that UCLA has done enough to position itself at the top of his list. A strong visit this weekend and it would expect a decision to come in the near future. He had a strong relationship with Don Pellum then didn't hear from the staff for a bit, but Ken Norton Jr. has done a good job of rebuilding that connection. He is an impressive run-stopping middle linebacker who has put together a strong offseason.
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Other notable offers: USC, Texas A&M, Georgia, TCU, LSU, Alabama
Los Alamitos High athlete Ethan O'Connor is another recruit to keep an eye on as a potential commit. At this point there has not been a plan to end the process just yet, but things have certainly been trending in favor of the Bruins.
Other notable offers: Cal (OV-6/3), Washington (OV-6/24), Texas A&M, Ole Miss
Jackett wants to take his other visits, but UCLA has definitely positioned itself well. It checks off a lot of the boxes for the Orange-El Modena offensive tackle. He wants a top-notch education and he has hinted that staying close to home is going to be key. He also has built a really strong connection with Tim Drevno. I do think UCLA ultimately pulls this one out, but I also think he will take some more visits before coming to a decision.
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Other notable offers: Cal (OV-6/10), USC (OV-6/16), Washington (OV-6/24), Michigan, Miami, Oregon, Arizona, Michigan State
The Oxnard-Pacifica cornerback has once committed to the Bruins for around six months. He backed off that pledge when the defensive coaching changes took place, but he never stopped paying attention to the program. Once the new coaches settled in, Maliki Crawford was able to rekindle the relationship and the Bruins are right in the thick of the process. He is set to take official visits to Cal, USC and Washington next month. The Trojans have been the school generating the most buzz throughout the spring, but he certainly has given the Bruins every opportunity to pull in his commitment once again. He looks like someone bound to decide this summer, so this is an important weekend in the overall process.
Other notable offers: Louisville (OV-6/17), Alabama, Oregon, Arizona, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Michigan, Miami, Washington
The big 6-foot-7 offensive lineman from St. John Bosco has been blowing up this spring. Pulido just recently added an offer from Oregon that could flip his recruitment on its head, but for now UCLA has done a good job of putting itself in a strong position. He told me that Tim Drevno is one of the two coaches he has built the best relationship with over the course of his recruitment, with the other one being Louisville's Nic Cardwell. It is no coincidence that those are the only two schools he has scheduled official visits with up to this point. Arizona is likely to get an official visit from the three-star lineman while he is planning out a string of unofficial visits in the SEC that will include Alabama, Ole Miss and Tennessee. At this stage, Louisville is UCLA's top competition in the recruitment.
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Other notable offers: Cal, Stanford, USC, Oregon, Utah, Colorado, BYU
The offensive lineman from Northern California is starting to gain some steam in his recruitment, but the Bruins have been one of the schools to emerge as a top contender at this stage for Simione Pale. He is also planning to take official visits with Cal and Stanford in June while USC and Oregon are a couple other schools to watch in his recruitment. At this point the process is not expected to come to a close just yet, but a good visit with the Bruins could certainly change a lot. He is potentially another recruit to watch closely coming out of this weekend's visit.
Other notable offers: Boston College (OV-6/10), Washington (OV-6/24), Stanford, Arizona State, Colorado, Arizona, Cal, San Diego State
The offensive lineman from Oaks Christian is making quick progress through his recruitment this spring. Luke Baklenko has been taking visits already, but UCLA was able to become the first school to get him on campus for an official visit. He has official trips to Boston College and Washington on the schedule for June, but he has been working quickly through the process. So, he will be someone to watch closely in the coming weeks.
Other notable offers: Hawaii, UNLV
UCLA was one of the first schools to jump into the mix with AJ Fuimaono last fall, and the new coaches have continued to build a connection with him. The defensive lineman from Liberty High in Henderson, Nevada has not seen his recruitment take off after picking up the offer from the Bruins, but there is certainly still plenty of interest from the UCLA side. Right now, the Bruins are the clear favorite in his recruitment, so he is someone to watch for a potential early decision as well.
Other notable offers: Oregon, Arizona, Cal, Notre Dame, USC
If there's someone to put on commitment watch this weekend it is the four-star inside linebacker from San Diego. Tre Edwards has not set up any of his other official visits, but he has visited all the schools at the top of his list so far. Oregon and Arizona are the two schools truly in play right now and the main competition for the Bruins. However, the feeling is that UCLA has done enough to position itself at the top of his list. A strong visit this weekend and it would expect a decision to come in the near future. He had a strong relationship with Don Pellum then didn't hear from the staff for a bit, but Ken Norton Jr. has done a good job of rebuilding that connection. He is an impressive run-stopping middle linebacker who has put together a strong offseason.
Four-star LB Tre Edwards planning Pac-12 official visit
Four-star linebacker Tre Edwards is looking at one Pac-12 visit for sure and possibly others.
Other notable offers: USC, Texas A&M, Georgia, TCU, LSU, Alabama
Los Alamitos High athlete Ethan O'Connor is another recruit to keep an eye on as a potential commit. At this point there has not been a plan to end the process just yet, but things have certainly been trending in favor of the Bruins.
Other notable offers: Cal (OV-6/3), Washington (OV-6/24), Texas A&M, Ole Miss
Jackett wants to take his other visits, but UCLA has definitely positioned itself well. It checks off a lot of the boxes for the Orange-El Modena offensive tackle. He wants a top-notch education and he has hinted that staying close to home is going to be key. He also has built a really strong connection with Tim Drevno. I do think UCLA ultimately pulls this one out, but I also think he will take some more visits before coming to a decision.
2023 OL target Elishah Jacket set for UCLA official visit this weekend
Offensive tackle Elishah Jackett will be one of several visitors on campus this weekend at UCLA for an official visit.
Other notable offers: Cal (OV-6/10), USC (OV-6/16), Washington (OV-6/24), Michigan, Miami, Oregon, Arizona, Michigan State
The Oxnard-Pacifica cornerback has once committed to the Bruins for around six months. He backed off that pledge when the defensive coaching changes took place, but he never stopped paying attention to the program. Once the new coaches settled in, Maliki Crawford was able to rekindle the relationship and the Bruins are right in the thick of the process. He is set to take official visits to Cal, USC and Washington next month. The Trojans have been the school generating the most buzz throughout the spring, but he certainly has given the Bruins every opportunity to pull in his commitment once again. He looks like someone bound to decide this summer, so this is an important weekend in the overall process.
Other notable offers: Louisville (OV-6/17), Alabama, Oregon, Arizona, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Michigan, Miami, Washington
The big 6-foot-7 offensive lineman from St. John Bosco has been blowing up this spring. Pulido just recently added an offer from Oregon that could flip his recruitment on its head, but for now UCLA has done a good job of putting itself in a strong position. He told me that Tim Drevno is one of the two coaches he has built the best relationship with over the course of his recruitment, with the other one being Louisville's Nic Cardwell. It is no coincidence that those are the only two schools he has scheduled official visits with up to this point. Arizona is likely to get an official visit from the three-star lineman while he is planning out a string of unofficial visits in the SEC that will include Alabama, Ole Miss and Tennessee. At this stage, Louisville is UCLA's top competition in the recruitment.
Official visitor Raymond Pulido feels strong bond with UCLA's Tim Drevno
St. John Bosco offensive lineman Raymond Pulido will use his first official visit on a trip to UCLA this weekend.
Other notable offers: Cal, Stanford, USC, Oregon, Utah, Colorado, BYU
The offensive lineman from Northern California is starting to gain some steam in his recruitment, but the Bruins have been one of the schools to emerge as a top contender at this stage for Simione Pale. He is also planning to take official visits with Cal and Stanford in June while USC and Oregon are a couple other schools to watch in his recruitment. At this point the process is not expected to come to a close just yet, but a good visit with the Bruins could certainly change a lot. He is potentially another recruit to watch closely coming out of this weekend's visit.
Other notable offers: Boston College (OV-6/10), Washington (OV-6/24), Stanford, Arizona State, Colorado, Arizona, Cal, San Diego State
The offensive lineman from Oaks Christian is making quick progress through his recruitment this spring. Luke Baklenko has been taking visits already, but UCLA was able to become the first school to get him on campus for an official visit. He has official trips to Boston College and Washington on the schedule for June, but he has been working quickly through the process. So, he will be someone to watch closely in the coming weeks.
Other notable offers: Hawaii, UNLV
UCLA was one of the first schools to jump into the mix with AJ Fuimaono last fall, and the new coaches have continued to build a connection with him. The defensive lineman from Liberty High in Henderson, Nevada has not seen his recruitment take off after picking up the offer from the Bruins, but there is certainly still plenty of interest from the UCLA side. Right now, the Bruins are the clear favorite in his recruitment, so he is someone to watch for a potential early decision as well.
