UCLA Football: Recruiting recap for the class of 2013, so far

Here’s something any person who covers high school recruiting for collegiate football programs will tell you: Covering recruits is a pain in the behind.

Which is why I don’t put up blog posts whenever a 17-year old commits to UCLA’s football program in March (even when I should, because UCLA news is slow these days). The biggest issue I have with this mess is that verbal commitments mean absolutely nothing. (Right, Jordan Payton?) It’s a bunch of speculation (that comes from the actual person we’re speculating about, no less), and it’s kind of annoying.

That said, the whole thing still fascinates me, because it brings a glimmer of hope to any college football program, and that’s how I felt when UCLA nabbed its 2012 recruiting class, filled with studs from head to toe.

So, to keep everyone up to date, here’s the players who have committed to UCLA (or so they say):

QB Eddie Printz. From Georgia, 6’4”, 195 lbs. 3-stars.

Eddie Printz committed to UCLA during the midst of the Bruins’ 2012 recruiting season, and it was a nice pick-up for our squad, which has been lacking in a solid QB since, I don’t know, the beginning of time, or something like that.

Scout and Rivals has the kid listed as a pocket passer, and that seems to be the case based on YouTube highlight videos (not always accurate, we know, but still):

From that video, Printz seems super composed in the pocket and gets the ball out quickly while not being erratic. When his pocket collapses, the dude is still able to make the pass to his target. We’re not sure if this is the norm for Printz (I obviously haven’t been to any high school football games outside of Southern California), but if he can do it as consistently in this video, we’re sure that he has serious potential regardless.

RB Keyante Green. From Georgia, 5’9”, 190 lbs. 3-stars

Keyante Green committed last month to UCLA, and what’s significant about his commitment is that he’s also from Georgia, much like Printz. Consistently getting guys from the South is going to be a huge deal, and it’s not the luxury UCLA has had for quite a long time, now.

The kid, by all accounts, seems as if he’s crafty and shifty while also picking up serious yards after the first hit. He doesn’t seem to have breakaway speed, but he moves his feet well and they never stop moving. Check it:

Hopefully the video is a good indicator of how consistent the dude is. He looks patient and waits for his blockers to develop gaps for him to run through, and that’s something we can all get excited about.

CB Dashon Hunt. From Westlake Village, California, 5’10”, 175 lbs. 4-stars

Dashon Hunt committed to UCLA back in August of 2011, before our boy Rick Neuheisel was canned for being a horrible coach for four years.

UCLA’s secondary has needed some serious help and Hunt seems to be a good pickup to contribute in a large way. According to Rivals, he’s the sixth-best cornerback in the country and the 58th best overall player.

These highlights don’t show a ton of his cornerbacking ability, but they tell us just how athletic the dude is:

OT Erik Bunte. From Rancho Santa Margarita, California, 6’7”, 310 lbs. 4-stars

Bunte committed in mid-March, and what a commitment it was.

Seriously, the dude’s 6’7” and 310 lbs. If that’s not enough to convince you of his potential, I have no idea what will.

He’s also a 4-star recruit and the 25th best offensive tackle in the country. However, it’s tough to find some highlights of this kid, so I cannot tell you anything about him. We’re just going to have to take Scouts/Rivals’ word for it, aren’t we?

OLB Deon Hollins, Jr. From Texas, 6’2”, 225 lbs. 4-stars

This was another non-California recruit for UCLA, this one coming from Texas, a football powerhouse factory.

Hollins is UCLA’s most recent recruit, and he seems to be solid. Dude’s the 14th-best LB in the nation and has the size to be a serious threat in a Jim Mora-Lou Spanos defense. Check the tape from his sophomore year:

The dude seems to track down his targets relatively well and has the speed to catch up to a ball-carrier when he’s fallen behind (which is indicated in the video). We’re not sure exactly the kind of defensive scheme UCLA defensive coordinator Lou Spanos will employ, but having a linebacker like Hollins should facilitate the process of building whatever scheme Spanos would like.