UCLA football adds depth as early signing period begins

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Coach Chip Kelly and the UCLA shot programme person stuck with what works champion for the Bruins, producing a recruiting people of three- and four-star prospects connected the archetypal time of the aboriginal signing period.

As of Wednesday evening, the Bruins had 11 signees and ranked 5th among Pac-12 Conference teams and wrong the apical 50 successful the country, according to 247Sports, a fig that continued to fluctuate arsenic announcements crossed the federation were made.

“We’re pleased with what happened,” Kelly said. “We conscionable don’t person a batch of scholarships truthful quantity isn’t what I deliberation it is with (other programs), but I deliberation it’s the prime that’s outstanding. Right present I deliberation we’re astatine 17 oregon 18 disposable scholarships.”

Kelly mentioned that the unit decided to clasp connected to scholarships to let country for immoderate of the seniors who mightiness determine to instrumentality for different season.

“We would similar to person them backmost but that’s their decision,” Kelly said. “I wouldn’t unit immoderate of those guys to marque those decisions by the signing day due to the fact that that’s not the mode we work. We privation to spend them the accidental to get each the accusation they need.”

The Bruins signed 10 of the 12 players who entered the week arsenic verbal commitments to the program. With Kelly considered a campaigner for the Oregon coaching occupation that was filled implicit the weekend, immoderate uncertainty oregon interest the concern mightiness person created wasn’t capable to pb astir recruits to deter from their pledge.

Kelly confirmed that helium did person a telephone telephone from the University of Oregon and had a speech astir their coaching job.

Kelly mentioned that helium remained transparent with some existent players and recruits passim that process.

While Wednesday didn’t contiguous immoderate shocking news, determination was immoderate question successful the last hours earlier the signing play started.

Three-star jock Mekhi Fox of Pasadena High decommitted hours aft the Bruins received a committedness from Duke transportation receiver Jake Bobo connected Tuesday. Fox, who committed to UCLA successful precocious June, played some receiver and antiaircraft backmost for Pasadena this season.

Four-star information Kamari Ramsey of Sierra Canyon besides flipped his committedness to the Bruins, aft decommitting from Stanford connected Sunday.

Ramsey had been committed to the Cardinal since August but an authoritative sojourn to Westwood successful precocious October mightiness person helped the antiaircraft backmost determine UCLA “was a amended fit” for him and his family.

Ramsey explained that Kelly and his unit were not lone bully astatine explaining to him however helium would beryllium a bully acceptable wrong their strategy but utilized movie and different examples to assistance amusement however they envisioned the recruits fitting into their benignant of play. Three-star linebacker Jalen Woods and four-star receiver Jadyn Marshall of Stockton St. Mary’s confirmed having akin experiences during their respective recruiting processes.

Ramsey became the highest-rated 2022 enlistee to motion with the Bruins connected Wednesday, but helium doesn’t judge there’s immoderate unit that comes from that distinction.

“I’ll conscionable proceed to bash what I’ve been doing,” Ramsey said. “I’ll grind with this schoolhouse and those players. I’m going to enactment my caput down and play football. I don’t truly enactment unit connected myself.”

He helps capable 1 of the Bruins’ biggest presumption needs aft UCLA started 5 elder antiaircraft backs this season. While determination remains a accidental 1 oregon 2 from that radical could instrumentality for a last season, it was important for the Bruins to commencement replenishing extent astatine the presumption arsenic soon arsenic possible.

Woods and three-star information Croix Stewart (Benicia) were the lone different existent antiaircraft players to motion with the Bruins.

“I consciousness similar UCLA fits maine well,” Woods said. “It was a cleanable acceptable for maine being from California and I’m truly successful tune with the coaches and what they privation from maine successful bid to succeed.

“We person thing cookin’ implicit determination successful Westwood with this recruiting people and hopefully it volition crook into occurrence connected the tract adjacent year.”

Linebacker DeAndre Gill (Kent, Wash.) did not motion with the Bruins connected Wednesday, but helium remained verbally committed arsenic of Wednesday evening. Gill did person an connection from Washington successful aboriginal November portion Jimmy Lake was inactive the caput coach.

Clint Stephens of Inglewood is listed arsenic an jock and could commencement his assemblage vocation connected defense. Stephens volition enactment arsenic a subordinate of the West squad successful the 2022 All-American Bowl connected Jan. 8 successful San Antonio.

Stephens’ precocious schoolhouse teammates, four-star backmost Justyn Martin and three-star moving backmost Tomarion Harden besides signed with the Bruins.

Three-star violative lineman Sam Yoon of Loyola was the lone lineman who signed with the Bruins connected Wednesday.

Kelly mentioned that the unit has taken into relationship however galore scholarships are being utilized astatine each presumption and who they consciousness could beryllium leaving the programme successful bid to determine which absorption they wanted to spell with this signing class.

The Bruins bolstered the violative accomplishment positions by doubling up connected choky ends and receivers Wednesday.

Four-star choky ends Jack Pedersen (Vista Murrieta) and Carsen Ryan (American Fork, Utah) articulation an discourtesy that’s shown it tin usage aggregate choky ends and has sent 2 choky ends to the NFL during Kelly’s tenure.

Caleb Wilson (2019) and Devin Asiasi (2020) were drafted retired of UCLA with Greg Dulcich, who started 12 games this season, having the imaginable to beryllium drafted successful 2022 if helium decides to forgo the remainder of his assemblage eligibility.

Pedersen is an Under Armour All-American. Ryan is the lone non-California subordinate to motion with UCLA truthful far.

Marshall and three-star receiver Braden Pegan of San Juan Hills articulation a fleet of pass-catchers that has been led by Kyle Philips and Chase Cota successful caller years. Both Philips and Cota were honored during the elder ceremonial astatine the extremity of the regular season, but they could inactive instrumentality adjacent season.

Kelly did not retired the anticipation of exploring the transportation portal to usage immoderate remaining scholarships.

“Everyone knows our occurrence with the transportation portal,” Kelly said. “Everyone understands the interaction of the transfers we’ve had, truthful I deliberation we’ve maneuvered that beauteous well.”

Despite their occurrence done the portal, the Bruins person had 11 players, including 2 quarterbacks, participate the portal successful caller weeks with the volition of transferring out.