4-Star Jaelan Phillips on UCLA Commitment: 'I Want to Be Part of a Revolution'

Followers of Pac-12 football patiently—and impatiently—waited for the verbal commitment of Redlands, California, standout Jaelan Phillips to hit social media Thursday afternoon. And when it was time for the 4-star defensive end/outside linebacker hybrid to announce, he said he simply went with his heart.

Advantage: UCLA

Phillips, the nation's No. 5 weak-side defensive end in the 2017 class, committed to UCLA and became the Bruins' fifth overall pledge and the top-ranked pledge of the class. He joins fellow 4-star defensive end Hunter Echols in the class.

In short, Phillips said he's been a Bruin at heart for a long time. His father went to UCLA, as did his aunt and grandmother. His grandmother received a postgraduate degree there. Additionally, his grandfather was the head of the music department at UCLA.

"We've been talking about it a lot," said Phillips, who had a top five of UCLA, USC, Stanford, Notre Dame and Washington, with UCLA and Stanford as his top two schools. "I went back and forth with UCLA and Stanford. It was a tough decision, but my family's extremely excited for me.

"My dad's overwhelmed that I'm going to his alma mater, and my mom loves UCLA and that I'm comfortable with where I'm going. I'm excited; I'm ready."

Recruited by defensive line coach/recruiting coordinator Angus McClure and defensive backs coach Demetrice Martin, among others, Phillips said the combination of UCLA having a respectable athletic program, having a solid academic reputation and being close to home won him over. He's got an interest in earning a communications degree as an undergraduate and a business degree in graduate school. Phillips added that going pre-med is still a possibility, as well.

On the field, Phillips was a force for Redlands East Valley High School. As a junior, he finished with 87 tackles and 13.5 sacks. He also showed his ball skills by recording three interceptions.

Phillips said the UCLA coaching staff have talked to him about playing a hybrid role in a 3-4 setting. He can be equally effective as a rush defensive end as he could be as an outside linebacker.

"They want to me play kind of like how they used Anthony Barr," Phillips said, referring to the Minnesota Vikings' first-round pick in the 2014 NFL draft—an outside linebacker who displayed versatility throughout his career at UCLA.

Credit: Student Sports

At 6'5" and 240 pounds, Phillips can be a similar athlete. He showed his versatility at The Opening Los Angeles regional and ultimately earned an invitation to compete in The Opening finals this summer in Beaverton, Oregon.

Phillips said choosing between UCLA and Stanford was tougher than some may assume. He's built a great relationship with the Stanford coaching staff, and the idea of having a Stanford degree was something he weighed heavily.

"A Stanford degree is one of the most prestigious degrees around," he said. "I loved the campus, the coaches and the players. I've had a place in my heart for Stanford since I was 10 years old. I never thought I'd play college football, so the goal was to get a degree from Stanford."

Choosing Stanford also would have meant Phillips starting his own legacy. He took that into account, but when it was time to make a final decision, nothing could sway Phillips from UCLA, a program he said "simply is the right place for me."

"It was a big decision for me, and nothing was cut-and-dry," he said. "With UCLA, I want to be part of a revolution and part of something that's getting better."

Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Damon via Twitter: @DamonSayles