UCLA Football Recruiting: Latest Updates on 2014 Commits, Visits and Targets

Jim Mora and his staff have gotten the UCLA football program off to a nice start in recruiting for the 2015 cycle.

According to 247Sports.com, the Bruins have 14 known commitments to date. What's more, as of right now, both 247Sports.com and Scout.com have UCLA with a Top 20 class. Per Scout.com, UCLA has a commitment from the top quarterback in the country (Josh Rosen), the top center in the country (Fred Ulu-Perry) and the second-best tight end (Alize Jones). 

This piece will include a complete chart of official visitors in the upcoming months. It will also highlight strong performances by two current commitments and speak about the two most recent additions to the program. 

Bruins Ink Rosen and McKinley

UCLA got a considerable boost this past week with the additions of signal-caller Josh Rosen and defensive end Takkarist McKinley. 

Per Chris Foster of the Los Angeles Times, Rosen signed a grant-in-aid document with the Bruins on Monday. Rosen's high academic standing enabled him to graduate from high school early. He will enroll in time for the winter quarter. 

This is a massive coup for UCLA. Rosen is an elite talent at the quarterback position. By entering college early, he'll have the opportunity to participate in spring ball. With Brett Hundley likely leaving at the end of the season, Rosen has every chance to start as a true freshman next season. 

As Rosen told Foster: "[UCLA is] churning out NFL players. They are on top in Los Angeles. Coach Mora is an awesome coach. It's something special to be a part of."

The addition of McKinley caught many off guard. Per Everett Cook of the Los Angeles Times, an error on his college transcript allowed him to be instantly eligible for competition on the Division 1 level.

Greg Biggins of Scout.com elaborated on the strange situation even further, explaining that McKinley was wrongly dubbed as a non-qualifier coming out of high school.

UCLA was able to ascertain this development, and they subsequently snagged the very talented defensive prospect. Per BruinReportOnline.com, defensive line coach Angus McClure was a huge reason why McKinley ultimately signed with UCLA. 

Rivals.com rates McKinley as the fifth-best junior college prospect in the entire country. Although relatively raw, McKinley's physical gifts are undeniable. As a high school senior, McKinley ran a 10.5 in the 100-meter dash. He did this at 6'3", 235 pounds. 

Last year at Contra Costa Community College, McKinley notched 10 sacks and 18.5 tackles for loss. According to Ed Lewis of BruinSportsReport, McKinley's former coach Alonzo Carter compared him to NFL great Jevon Kearse. 

The addition of McKinley is considerable. Due to UCLA's lack of success rushing the passer through three games—only three sacks have been registered—he could find himself as a third-down rusher right off the bat. Per Cook, Mora expects McKinley to potentially play against Arizona State next week. 

A Look at Official Visitors

Courtesy of BruinReportOnline.com, here is a list of expected official visitors over the course of the season (as of 9/17):

Visitor	Position	Height	Weight	Visit Date
Cameron Scarlett	RB	6'1"	210	10/4
Soso Jamabo	RB	6'2.5"	203	10/11
Drew Richmond	OL	6'5.5"	320	10/11
Ryan Newsome	WR	5'8"	168	11/1
Josh Wariboko	OL	6'3"	305	11/22
Malik Jefferson	LB	6'2.5"	215	11/28

Of course, this is a very preliminary list and recruits often change their minds from week to week. Many of the UCLA commitments will likely visit on the same weekend—perhaps for the game versus Southern Cal in November. 

Ryan Newsome is a very important recruit for the Bruins. He represents the quick, shifty, fast slot receiver desperately needed in the offense. Looking at his film, the 247Sports.com 4-star athlete is very comparable to that of current St. Louis Rams receiver Tavon Austin. 

Two other Texas natives—Malik Jefferson and Soso Jamabo—are also immense targets. Scout.com has Jefferson rated as one of the best players in the entire nation. The 5-star linebacker is eerily similar to current UCLA linebacker Myles Jack. 

Jamabo is the big back currently missing in UCLA's offense. The Bruins will be going up against the likes of Notre Dame and Oklahoma, but with an official visit upcoming, they've got a puncher's chance with the elite athlete. 

As for other 2015 prospects, BruinReportOnline.com reported that UCLA made an offer to current Notre Dame commit and 4-star receiver C.J. Sanders. Ryan Bartow of 247Sports.com reported the Bruins have also made an offer to athlete Tim Irvin. The Miami native is the nephew of NFL great Michael Irvin. 

Two Commitments with Big Games This Past Weekend

The elite tight end out of Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Alize Jones, put on a show versus Corona Centennial. 

Jones registered eight catches for 163 yards and two touchdowns in the narrow 43-42 victory. 

As Greg Biggins opined (subscription required):"There isn't a better athlete at the tight end position anywhere in the country. [Jones] has every physical tool you'd want in a next level prospect including size, elite speed, hands and body control."

It would be an absolute shock to see Jones redshirt as a true freshman next year. He could help to give UCLA a very dynamic option on offense in '15. 

Running back commitment Bolu Olorunfunmi rushed for 185 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Buhach Colony High School. Olorunfunmi is a punishing back, getting most of his yards after contact.

The talented tailback chose UCLA over offers from Notre Dame and Stanford, among others.