BOOM! 4-Star Tight End Chris Clark Commits To UCLA

Nov 22, 2014; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins wide receiver Thomas Duarte (18) runs past Southern California Trojans safety Leon McQuay (22) during the first half at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

UCLA has started off National Signing Day with a big splash, landing the commitment of 4-star tight end Chris Clark (Avon, CT/Avon Old Farms) and ultimately winning what had been a prolonged see-saw battle between the Bruins and Michigan for Clark’s final pledge. Clark was the first recruit of the day to announce his decision on ESPNU’s Signing Day Special and he has gotten the ball rolling on what could be a monumental finish to UCLA’s 2015 recruiting class. 

UCLA Bruins

Clark has probably had a more topsy-turvy recruiting process than any of UCLA’s remaining recruits, as he had already previously committed to and decommitted from both North Carolina and Michigan during his time as a recruit.

After the unsavory Aliz’e Jones saga resulted in UCLA’s longtime tight end commitment flipping to Notre Dame, UCLA moved onto Clark, another blue-chip prospect at the same position but one with a very different skillset than Jones. And once Brady Hoke was fired at Michigan and Clark chose to decommit from the Wolverines as a result, the door swung open in a big way for Jim Mora‘s staff to pursue the big tight end in earnest.

Clark isn’t the athlete that Jones is (few are), but he’s a classic, prototypical in-line tight end, which UCLA currently lacks on its roster. The 6’6″ Clark projects as a solid blocker and devastating receiver, especially in the red zone where UCLA can exploit his height to create mismatches much like it did for the similarly-sized Joseph Fauria during the 2012 season. The more varied weapons UCLA has in its arsenal, the better its offense will be.

With Clark’s commitment, UCLA fills a huge void on its roster at tight end. Not only does he project to have an instant impact at a position of need on the field, but he also gets UCLA in the headlines early on National Signing Day.

With 5-star running back Soso Jamabo (Plano, TX/Plano West) set to announce in less than an hour on ESPNU (for the Bruins, most likely), UCLA could establish a tidal wave of momentum going into late morning and afternoon when its remaining recruits will announce their decisions. Either way, the Bruins have got their first commitment of the day in hand and it’s a huge one, both literally and figuratively.

Welcome to Westwood, Chris!