Before Bob Chesney even coaches a game for the UCLA Bruins, he’s already uplifted the program’s recruiting efforts. It’s been too long since UCLA made waves on the recruiting trail but that’s exactly what Chesney’s done since taking over back in December.
Antonio Morales of The Athletic listed the 10 most interesting college football programs to monitor in the 2027 recruiting cycle with UCLA making the cut. The Bruins were one of four Big Ten Conference teams Morales listed, joining Indiana, Michigan and Penn State.
“The Bruins have basically been irrelevant on the recruiting trail for almost a decade since Jim Mora was fired late in the 2017 season. First-year head coach Bob Chesney is doing all he can do to change that. The Bruins’ 2027 class ranks sixth nationally, and they are on pace to finish with their first top-25 class this decade,” Morales wrote. “UCLA has received commitments from 10 blue-chip prospects this cycle. It signed eight blue-chippers combined in the previous four recruiting cycles under Chip Kelly and DeShaun Foster.”
UCLA needs all the talent they can get following two-straight losing seasons to begin their Big Ten tenure.
“Chesney has provided a jolt of energy. UCLA is also investing more with increased third-party/NIL spending as well, which always helps,” Morales wrote. “From a recruiting perspective, Oregon and USC have generally stolen most of the headlines on the West Coast, but having an active, engaged UCLA back on the trail would make things more fun.”
We’ll see if Chesney can maintain this level of recruiting activity and if some of those 2027 recruits can help build the Bruins into a threat in the Big Ten heading into the 2030s.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: The Athletic names UCLA as a team to watch for 2027 recruiting
Reporting by Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
