Go Joe Bruin
Fansided

UCLA Football Recruiting: The Final 2016 Offensive Big Board

By Michael Hanna

Nov 21, 2015; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Josh Rosen (3) passes the ball during the second half against the Utah Utes at Rice-Eccles Stadium. UCLA won 17-9. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 21, 2015; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Josh Rosen (3) passes the ball during the second half against the Utah Utes at Rice-Eccles Stadium. UCLA won 17-9. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 5
Next
Nov 7, 2015; Corvallis, OR, USA; UCLA receiver Thomas Duarte (18) picks up a first down on a pass play during the first half in a game against Oregon State at Reser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 7, 2015; Corvallis, OR, USA; UCLA receiver Thomas Duarte (18) picks up a first down on a pass play during the first half in a game against Oregon State at Reser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports /

TIGHT ENDS

With the impending presumed shift to a more pro-style oriented offense under Kennedy Polamalu, the Bruins have a need to fill out the tight end depth chart.

To that end, the Bruins went some way towards filling that need when they brought in 3-star tight end Jordan Wilson (Nashville, TN/Montgomery Bell Academy), who is an imposing figure at 6-feet-5-inches and 215-pounds and possesses a mind-boggling 7-foot wingspan. No prizes for guessing which one is Wilson in this picture:

Wilson projects to be a dangerous pass-catching weapon who has the frame to grow into an imposing blocker as well after enough time in UCLA’s strength program.

After the loss of 3-star Thaddeus Moss (Charlotte, NC/Mallard Creek) to NC State, the Bruins still have a remaining tight end recruit on the board who they would absolutely love to bring in alongside Wilson: 4-star Devin Asiasi (Concord, CA/De La Salle).

Tipping the scales at over 270 pounds, Asiasi is an absolute giant whose body seems to project better on the defensive line in college, but whose tight end skills have wowed observers who are shocked that a player his size can run and catch the way that he does. It also goes without saying that Asiasi is a devastating blocker from the tight end position as well.

Asiasi visited UCLA a month ago with close friend and UCLA lean Boss Tagaloa, a 4-star nose tackle who is Asiasi’s teammate at powerhouse high school program De La Salle. The Bruins are able and willing to sell Asiasi on their need for a large, in-line tight end in the new offensive scheme, but it remains to be seen how competitive UCLA will be in the end for Asiasi, who has not hesitated to point out his lifelong USC fandom to curious interviewers.

It has, however, definitely helped UCLA’s cause with Asiasi that it hired the coach who was recruiting him to USC: new Bruin quarterbacks coach Marques Tuiasosopo. If any coach out there can lure Asiasi to Westwood, it is absolutely Tuiasosopo, the legendary Polynesian, Rose Bowl-winning quarterback at Washington who won Pac-12 Recruiter of the Year in 2015 as part of the USC coaching staff.

UCLA will absolutely battle to the end in this one, but with Asiasi still having his official visit to take to USC this upcoming weekend right before Signing Day, it is hard to escape the feeling that the traditional post-visit high coupled with his long-term rooting interests will lead him to become a Trojan when it is all said and done.

Next: Offensive Line