UCLA Football: Bruins' 5 Most Underrated Recruits of 2015

The recruiting season for the UCLA football 2015 class is coming down to the wire. 

Jim Mora and his staff have about one more week to make their pitches before national signing day on Feb 4. As it currently stands, the Bruins have 16 public commitments. There are also a handful of prospects considering the program at this time. 

This piece will take a look at the five most underrated recruits for UCLA in 2015. This includes four committed prospects and one athlete currently uncommitted. 

Prospects will be listed alphabetically. Much of their appearance on the list is due to overall upside and current rankings as prospects.

Victor Alexander

Photo courtesy of 247sports

Linebacker Victor Alexander

Generously listed at 5'10", 3-star linebacker Victor Alexander doesn't have the appearance of a prototypical college middle linebacker. The Jacksonville, Florida, native's lack of size surely made some teams skeptical of his ability and potential at the next level. 

When looking at his film, however, size isn't a problem. 

Alexander hits like a Mack truck. He's superlative in the run game—shooting the gaps and making the requisite tackle. He's violent and aggressive but also intelligent and intuitive in regards to reading the play.

It's truly one of those cases in which the player plays bigger than his size indicates. Alexander also has a terrific nose for the football. 

Expect the linebacker prospect to impact right away on special teams. If it weren't for his lack of size, Alexander would be a more highly regarded prospect. His game favorably compares to that of former NFL players Sam Mills and Dat Nguyen. 

DeChaun Holiday

Although rated as a 4-star prospect, DeChaun Holiday has seemingly still flown a bit under the radar. 

There's been a limited amount of Holiday's senior year film made available to the public. The greater San Diego area is also not known as a hotbed for high school talent. Regardless, Holiday figures to be one of the most impressive two-way players in all of California. 

As is the case with most recruits Mora goes after, Holiday brings versatility to the table. He can play as both a wide receiver and as a defensive back. In the secondary, he can function perfectly well as a corner—despite being close to 6'3". 

Holiday has great overall athleticism to go with a long frame. He fits the mold of the taller corner in today's game. Depending on depth, he could also easily end up as a safety down the line. 

If Holiday were playing in the Los Angeles area, he'd be garnering much more publicity from out-of-region schools. As it currently stands, it'll be difficult to envision Holiday ending up anywhere but UCLA. 

Per his Twitter, he'll announce his college decision this upcoming Sunday. 

William Lockett

Photo courtesy of 247sports.

Defensive back prospect William Lockett

Corner William Lockett was a big get at a position of need for the Bruins. 

The 3-star commitment out of Texas is a physical corner with terrific ball skills. He isn't afraid to come up in the box and make a play. Lockett is a very good tackler and also possesses an impressive football IQ. 

Much like Holiday, Lockett can play multiple positions in the secondary. He acts best as a corner pressing at the line of scrimmage. Dually, Lockett can also perform well as a safety. 

Lockett's offer sheet is pretty impressive. Missouri, Louisville, Oklahoma and Michigan State were all after his services. Jim Harbaugh and Michigan also made a strong pitch to Lockett—and even got the prospect to visit officially this past weekend.

Per Lockett's Twitter, he's solidly committed to UCLA. 

Conventional wisdom suggests most 3-star prospects won't have a collection of offers to this degree. 

Rick Wade

Photo courtesy of 247sports.

Defensive line prospect Rick Wade

Rick Wade is a jumbo athlete with tons of untapped potential.

The 4-star prospect from Santa Margarita High School might be flying a bit under the radar when compared to fellow UCLA commitments. He opted not to showcase himself at camps and all-star games. Wade is also one of UCLA's earliest commitments—picking the Bruins this past July. 

Wade looks eerily similar to the type of defensive ends recently playing at Stanford. At 6'6", he can move extremely well. Wade also has long arms and good natural athleticism, and he possesses a frame capable of packing on 30-40 pounds. 

In essence, he's the perfect 3-4 defensive end for UCLA's scheme. Theoretically, he could even play as an outside linebacker or develop down the line into an outstanding offensive tackle prospect. 

Josh Woods

Of all the UCLA commitments not named Josh Rosen, Josh Woods could be the most intriguing. 

The 4-star prospect from Upland High School was a virtual unknown before the high school season. Due to his play this past year, he's effectively blown up as a prospect. 

Woods can play at both linebacker spots. Possessing above-average quickness and speed, he's tremendous in coverage. Woods has the frame to get bigger as he physically matures. He also has capabilities carrying the football as a big running back. 

The scary thing is, Woods is not close to reaching his ceiling. He's very young for his grade and has fantastic overall athleticism. If Woods were in the 2016 class, he'd be a potential 5-star prospect. 

All recruiting rankings courtesy of 247Sports.com.