Things have changed rapidly for the UCLA Bruins under new head coach Bob Chesney. After a few pedestrian recruiting classes in a row under DeShaun Foster, the Bruins are back in the Top-10 for this 2027 recruiting class.
Everyone has taken notice of the new-look Bruins. Chesney took James Madison to the College Football Playoffs out of the Sun Belt Conference, and now he’s in Los Angeles, and has seemingly reinvigorated UCLA’s donors to contribute to help the Bruins reach greatness on the gridiron.
UCLA has also decided to stay at the Rose Bowl for at least another season. Quieting another storm that could have arisen for the program with a forced move to SoFi Stadium. In other words, UCLA has their swagger back. Even former players are feeling the change.
Former Bruin and longtime Minnesota Viking linebacker Anthony Barr reacted to a list of the top 2027 recruiting classes that has UCLA at No. 4, behind just Oklahoma, Texas A&M and USC.
“This reminds me of something.” Barr tweeted Saturday evening.
Barr was a Bruin from 2010-2013, playing in 50 games and registering 23.5 career sacks before getting drafted ninth overall by the Vikings. Barr, the Los Angeles native, was a part of a pretty stellar recruiting class himself, with his UCLA 2010 class being ranked No. 10 in the nation.
The results weren’t immediate for Barr and the Bruins, with the team going just 4-8 in 2010 and then 6-8 in 2011. What happened next is what UCLA is looking for, with the 2012 Bruins going 9-5. Barr and the Bruins wrapped up his college career with a 10-3 season that ended with a win in the Sun Bowl.
With the amount of transfers that Chesney has brought in for the 2026 team, the expectation is that UCLA won’t have to wait two more seasons to crack .500, but Chesney’s efforts in adding talent is catching the eyes of former UCLA stars.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Anthony Barr reacts on Twitter to UCLA’s 2027 recruiting class
Reporting by Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
