Our annual Rivals Camp took place at Citrus College on Sunday, and while there were a lot of no shows I wanted to see, there were still some key UCLA targets to take note of. Here were my recruiting notes and observations on some of the top Bruin recruits today:
QUARTERBACKS
-2019 QB Hank Bachmeier was the lone priority recruit in the group today and I thought he threw it well. UCLA remains in a good spot for the Murrieta Valley QB, though there's a long way to go until he picks a school.
-2020 QB Bryce Young was the QB MVP of camp and he was outstanding. His father went to UCLA and Young has admitted before that the Bruins would be hard to beat if they offered. If he can sprout up another inch or two, he could be a Rivals100 recruit by the time his class rolls around.
RUNNING BACKS
-San Diego RB Chris Brown is a really good-looking prospect. Huge frame that looks Pac-12 ready already. He moved well too when it came time to run routes and do 1-on-1s. UCLA and Utah seem to be the leaders for him at the moment.
-2020 RB Kendall Milton landed the UCLA offer on Saturday and I thought he was OK today. Another guy with a huge frame, but I wanted to see him catch it a little bit better. Thought he could have a Joe Mixon-like breakout day today, but he's not quite there yet.
RECEIVERS
-Amon Ra St. Brown was phenomenal today. The best player on the field and it wasn't close. There's no more debate between Jalen Hall and St. Brown in my eyes. I don't think UCLA has a shot with either, though.
-Buena Park WR Devon Cooley was awesome again today. While skinny, he's so fast and athletic and smooth. UCLA remains the leader.
OFFENSIVE LINE
-This was a loaded group. Four-star center Just Dedich was the standout for me once again, never even relinquishing a yard in 1-on-1s, let alone possibly losing a rep. The other no-brainer standout for me was four-star OT Penei Sewell. I think UCLA is in in good shape for Dedich, but likely a no way for Sewell.
-A few other UCLA offerees stood out to me: Mater Dei's Chris Murray (he won MVP. He's carrying a little too much weight, but he's going to be a good Pac-12 guard); Washington's Matthew Cindric (UCLA's offered, but he's probably going to Washington. But again, looks like a really good future Pac-12 OL. He's visiting UCLA on Wednesday); recent offeree and visitor Brandon Mello (a little raw now, but great tackle frame/size); recent offeree and visitor Steven Jones (he has a low floor because he's carrying way too much weight but he's a really high ceiling tackle because of his athleticism and size); and Jacob Isaia (he won all of his reps and looks like a promising center/guard prospect at the next level). Mater Dei tackle Tommy Brown was the only UCLA offeree who disappointed today, getting beat a few times by lesser DE prospects, but he'll be fine.
DEFENSIVE LINE
-Bishop Gorman DE Adam Plant won the MVP and he was likely the only high Pac-12 level DL prospect at the event. I'm not too sure UCLA or USC is recruiting him anymore, though.
-NorCal DE and Cal commit Nick Alftin looked pretty good and is a guy I could see UCLA going after later. He's been the kind of tall, long and thick DL prospect Angus McClure has gone after recently.
LINEBACKERS
-There were only two real priority targets for UCLA out there today: Utah LB Salua Masina and Mater Dei LB Solomon Tuliaupupu. Both looked like four-stars to me, with Tuliaupupu being the better of the two. Masina visited UCLA once again on Saturday and while he won't name favorites, I think they're in a great spot for him. Tuliaupupu visited UCLA on Saturday as well, but I don't think the Bruins have much of a shot here.
-Randall Goforth's little 2019 brother Ralen Goforth looks like he'll end up as a four-star in his class. UCLA has offered and as long as Mora's staff is still around, I think he ends up at UCLA.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
-I got my first look at NorCal DB D'Angelo McKenzie and I really liked him. He's pocket sized, but he moved really well out there today and his film shows a kid willing to absolutely lay hat. He told me UCLA and Notre Dame are his two standouts at the moment.
-I also got my first looks at UCLA commits Chris Steele and Jhevon Hill. Steele really impressed, though I think he's probably going to grow into a linebacker. Either way, he's a Rivals100 guy in my opinion. Hill I wasn't as high on. He's a safety prospect so he's not going to look great in this environment, but he didn't have good hips or fluidity and looked more like a three-star prospect to me.
QUARTERBACKS
-2019 QB Hank Bachmeier was the lone priority recruit in the group today and I thought he threw it well. UCLA remains in a good spot for the Murrieta Valley QB, though there's a long way to go until he picks a school.
-2020 QB Bryce Young was the QB MVP of camp and he was outstanding. His father went to UCLA and Young has admitted before that the Bruins would be hard to beat if they offered. If he can sprout up another inch or two, he could be a Rivals100 recruit by the time his class rolls around.
RUNNING BACKS
-San Diego RB Chris Brown is a really good-looking prospect. Huge frame that looks Pac-12 ready already. He moved well too when it came time to run routes and do 1-on-1s. UCLA and Utah seem to be the leaders for him at the moment.
-2020 RB Kendall Milton landed the UCLA offer on Saturday and I thought he was OK today. Another guy with a huge frame, but I wanted to see him catch it a little bit better. Thought he could have a Joe Mixon-like breakout day today, but he's not quite there yet.
RECEIVERS
-Amon Ra St. Brown was phenomenal today. The best player on the field and it wasn't close. There's no more debate between Jalen Hall and St. Brown in my eyes. I don't think UCLA has a shot with either, though.
-Buena Park WR Devon Cooley was awesome again today. While skinny, he's so fast and athletic and smooth. UCLA remains the leader.
OFFENSIVE LINE
-This was a loaded group. Four-star center Just Dedich was the standout for me once again, never even relinquishing a yard in 1-on-1s, let alone possibly losing a rep. The other no-brainer standout for me was four-star OT Penei Sewell. I think UCLA is in in good shape for Dedich, but likely a no way for Sewell.
-A few other UCLA offerees stood out to me: Mater Dei's Chris Murray (he won MVP. He's carrying a little too much weight, but he's going to be a good Pac-12 guard); Washington's Matthew Cindric (UCLA's offered, but he's probably going to Washington. But again, looks like a really good future Pac-12 OL. He's visiting UCLA on Wednesday); recent offeree and visitor Brandon Mello (a little raw now, but great tackle frame/size); recent offeree and visitor Steven Jones (he has a low floor because he's carrying way too much weight but he's a really high ceiling tackle because of his athleticism and size); and Jacob Isaia (he won all of his reps and looks like a promising center/guard prospect at the next level). Mater Dei tackle Tommy Brown was the only UCLA offeree who disappointed today, getting beat a few times by lesser DE prospects, but he'll be fine.
DEFENSIVE LINE
-Bishop Gorman DE Adam Plant won the MVP and he was likely the only high Pac-12 level DL prospect at the event. I'm not too sure UCLA or USC is recruiting him anymore, though.
-NorCal DE and Cal commit Nick Alftin looked pretty good and is a guy I could see UCLA going after later. He's been the kind of tall, long and thick DL prospect Angus McClure has gone after recently.
LINEBACKERS
-There were only two real priority targets for UCLA out there today: Utah LB Salua Masina and Mater Dei LB Solomon Tuliaupupu. Both looked like four-stars to me, with Tuliaupupu being the better of the two. Masina visited UCLA once again on Saturday and while he won't name favorites, I think they're in a great spot for him. Tuliaupupu visited UCLA on Saturday as well, but I don't think the Bruins have much of a shot here.
-Randall Goforth's little 2019 brother Ralen Goforth looks like he'll end up as a four-star in his class. UCLA has offered and as long as Mora's staff is still around, I think he ends up at UCLA.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
-I got my first look at NorCal DB D'Angelo McKenzie and I really liked him. He's pocket sized, but he moved really well out there today and his film shows a kid willing to absolutely lay hat. He told me UCLA and Notre Dame are his two standouts at the moment.
-I also got my first looks at UCLA commits Chris Steele and Jhevon Hill. Steele really impressed, though I think he's probably going to grow into a linebacker. Either way, he's a Rivals100 guy in my opinion. Hill I wasn't as high on. He's a safety prospect so he's not going to look great in this environment, but he didn't have good hips or fluidity and looked more like a three-star prospect to me.
