O-line update
With Adrian Klemm out for three months, you probably saw this one coming, but nonetheless, it's not looking too great on the O-line recruiting front at the moment for big-time prospects.
Nationally, Klemm tried his best last month with several offers, but we're hearing there haven't been any bites yet.
So locally is where UCLA will have to do its damage. We've heard New Mexico tackle Henry Hattis is likely the Bruins' top tackle target at the moment. The problem for UCLA is he's probably leaning toward Stanford for now.
We've heard the Bruins really like San Diego guard Michael Alves, who was impressive physically on his visit last week - Alex Redmond-like, one source said. After not being in his initial list, the Bruins are now in his top five, but it still appears they need to make up more ground to land his commitment.
UCLA has been the long-time leader for tackle Alex Akingbulu, but we're starting to hear more and more growing concerns about his weight. He's an athletic tackle with upside, but at only 220-240 pounds right now, he'll need to add somewhere around 60 pounds to be effective at UCLA, and we've heard that has brought up some questions as to how hard should the Bruins really pursue the Narbonne prospect.
We've also heard UCLA is gearing up to offer Hawaiian guard / center Toleafoa Auwae, who would likely be a commitment shortly after that scholarship comes down.
Outside of that, players like Jacob Capra and Nate Herbig will be ones to keep an eye on, but don't expect a whole lot of elite talent for now.
Shurod and Parker to play together
I spoke with another source close to four-star corner Jordan Parker this week about his unexpected UCLA decommitment and in somewhat good news for UCLA fans, it doesn't look like Parker will be going to USC. The source said it'll be either Oklahoma or Oregon in the end, and right now, it looks like Oklahoma because he and four-star safety Shurod Thompson can play together out there. The source was adamant that the two won't go to school without each other.
Another NorCal package deal?
A source close to the De La Salle program told us this week Boss Tagaloa will end up at UCLA. The surprising news here, though, is the source also said UCLA is making a bit of a push for four-star tight end Devin Asiasi. With USC now out of the mix (I wrote about why in last week's notes here), there's some pressure for Asiasi to link up with Tagaloa at UCLA now.
However, the source said Washington leads for Asiasi at the moment, and it will take much more from the Bruins to change that.
Gorney updates
Adam Gorney was the bearer of some bad UCLA recruiting news this week (don't shoot the messenger). In case you missed any of it:
-Four-star corner David Long is expected to make his commitment this week, deciding between UCLA, USC and Stanford. It looks to be a USC-Stanford battle here, however. Gorney: "I'm almost certain (it won't be UCLA)."
-Five-star LB Mique Juarez's coach said the vibe he gets from the linebacker is he'll pick a local school and a national school and make a commitment from one of those two programs. Obviously, if that list cutdown were today, SC would be the local program.
-USC has made a surge to land long-time UCLA lean Wole Betiku. Click here to read why.
adidas Nations updates
I cruised over to adidas Nations late Sunday night. Here were some of the notes I gathered:
-UCLA has indeed accepted the commitment of 13-year-old Melo Ball, the younger brother of uber prospect Lonzo Ball. All three Ball brothers are now committed to UCLA, and when I asked their dad Lavar for a message to UCLA fans, he said, "The Ball boys are coming, and we going to be the kings of Westwood!" Full video interview with Lavar coming this week.
-Lonzo Ball is very, very, very good. I spent a week in Charlotte last month watching the best of the best in the 2016 class, and you can't convince me Lonzo doesn't belong in that same field. Out of all the blue chippers that have come through UCLA in my time covering the team (Shabazz Muhammad, Kyle Anderson, Kevon Looney, Zach LaVine), I think Ball is the best I've seen at this stage in their careers.
-I spoke with UCLA commits Kobe Paras and Ike Anigbogu, and they both said they loved their time with Lonzo and 2017 commit Jalen Hill this week. They said it really gave them a chance to bond as a class and they had fun playing together down in Garden Grove the past few days.
-2017 four-star point guard Jaylen Hands was the only other notable UCLA target in attendance, and the vibe I got from everybody in the gym - including Hands - was that he'll be a UCLA commitment sooner or later. He visits Arizona next week, and from what I gathered, that's the only competition for the Bruins at the moment.
Short Shots
-Demetrice Martin went on an offering spree this weekend, doling out scholarship offers to Andrew Davis, Leni Toailoa, Chris Brown and Myles Bryant. Davis and Toailoa look poised to pop any minute. While UCLA is by far Bryant's biggest offer, he's been enamored with Colorado and Washington for a while, so no insta-commitment there. Brown said on Twitter the Bruins are now in his top seven. So a good chunk of the Bruins' DB class may just come from the group of four listed above here.
-Four-star 2017 safety Chaz Ah You sure sounds like a guy debating on UCLA-Stanford.
With Adrian Klemm out for three months, you probably saw this one coming, but nonetheless, it's not looking too great on the O-line recruiting front at the moment for big-time prospects.
Nationally, Klemm tried his best last month with several offers, but we're hearing there haven't been any bites yet.
So locally is where UCLA will have to do its damage. We've heard New Mexico tackle Henry Hattis is likely the Bruins' top tackle target at the moment. The problem for UCLA is he's probably leaning toward Stanford for now.
We've heard the Bruins really like San Diego guard Michael Alves, who was impressive physically on his visit last week - Alex Redmond-like, one source said. After not being in his initial list, the Bruins are now in his top five, but it still appears they need to make up more ground to land his commitment.
UCLA has been the long-time leader for tackle Alex Akingbulu, but we're starting to hear more and more growing concerns about his weight. He's an athletic tackle with upside, but at only 220-240 pounds right now, he'll need to add somewhere around 60 pounds to be effective at UCLA, and we've heard that has brought up some questions as to how hard should the Bruins really pursue the Narbonne prospect.
We've also heard UCLA is gearing up to offer Hawaiian guard / center Toleafoa Auwae, who would likely be a commitment shortly after that scholarship comes down.
Outside of that, players like Jacob Capra and Nate Herbig will be ones to keep an eye on, but don't expect a whole lot of elite talent for now.
Shurod and Parker to play together
I spoke with another source close to four-star corner Jordan Parker this week about his unexpected UCLA decommitment and in somewhat good news for UCLA fans, it doesn't look like Parker will be going to USC. The source said it'll be either Oklahoma or Oregon in the end, and right now, it looks like Oklahoma because he and four-star safety Shurod Thompson can play together out there. The source was adamant that the two won't go to school without each other.
Another NorCal package deal?
A source close to the De La Salle program told us this week Boss Tagaloa will end up at UCLA. The surprising news here, though, is the source also said UCLA is making a bit of a push for four-star tight end Devin Asiasi. With USC now out of the mix (I wrote about why in last week's notes here), there's some pressure for Asiasi to link up with Tagaloa at UCLA now.
However, the source said Washington leads for Asiasi at the moment, and it will take much more from the Bruins to change that.
Gorney updates
Adam Gorney was the bearer of some bad UCLA recruiting news this week (don't shoot the messenger). In case you missed any of it:
-Four-star corner David Long is expected to make his commitment this week, deciding between UCLA, USC and Stanford. It looks to be a USC-Stanford battle here, however. Gorney: "I'm almost certain (it won't be UCLA)."
-Five-star LB Mique Juarez's coach said the vibe he gets from the linebacker is he'll pick a local school and a national school and make a commitment from one of those two programs. Obviously, if that list cutdown were today, SC would be the local program.
-USC has made a surge to land long-time UCLA lean Wole Betiku. Click here to read why.
adidas Nations updates
I cruised over to adidas Nations late Sunday night. Here were some of the notes I gathered:
-UCLA has indeed accepted the commitment of 13-year-old Melo Ball, the younger brother of uber prospect Lonzo Ball. All three Ball brothers are now committed to UCLA, and when I asked their dad Lavar for a message to UCLA fans, he said, "The Ball boys are coming, and we going to be the kings of Westwood!" Full video interview with Lavar coming this week.
-Lonzo Ball is very, very, very good. I spent a week in Charlotte last month watching the best of the best in the 2016 class, and you can't convince me Lonzo doesn't belong in that same field. Out of all the blue chippers that have come through UCLA in my time covering the team (Shabazz Muhammad, Kyle Anderson, Kevon Looney, Zach LaVine), I think Ball is the best I've seen at this stage in their careers.
-I spoke with UCLA commits Kobe Paras and Ike Anigbogu, and they both said they loved their time with Lonzo and 2017 commit Jalen Hill this week. They said it really gave them a chance to bond as a class and they had fun playing together down in Garden Grove the past few days.
-2017 four-star point guard Jaylen Hands was the only other notable UCLA target in attendance, and the vibe I got from everybody in the gym - including Hands - was that he'll be a UCLA commitment sooner or later. He visits Arizona next week, and from what I gathered, that's the only competition for the Bruins at the moment.
Short Shots
-Demetrice Martin went on an offering spree this weekend, doling out scholarship offers to Andrew Davis, Leni Toailoa, Chris Brown and Myles Bryant. Davis and Toailoa look poised to pop any minute. While UCLA is by far Bryant's biggest offer, he's been enamored with Colorado and Washington for a while, so no insta-commitment there. Brown said on Twitter the Bruins are now in his top seven. So a good chunk of the Bruins' DB class may just come from the group of four listed above here.
-Four-star 2017 safety Chaz Ah You sure sounds like a guy debating on UCLA-Stanford.
