UCLA Football got a huge boost to its 2016 recruiting class in the hours before National Signing Day madness begins, as priority target Brandon Burton announced his commitment to the Bruins in a high-profile manner on ESPN’s SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt.
UCLA Football’s longtime top target at safety in the 2016 recruiting class made Bruin fans very happy tonight, as UCLA’s recruiting efforts with 4-star two-way athlete Brandon Burton (Gardena, CA/Serra) culminated with Burton announcing his commitment to the Bruins on national television.
A standout wide receiver and safety in high school, Burton is one of those dynamic players who UCLA will be happy to get on campus first and ask questions about his position later. It seems likely, with Bruins defensive backs coach Demetrice Martin as his main recruiter, that Burton will get his first crack at safety.
Most recruiting followers know that Burton attends a high school for which no self-respecting Bruin fan has any fondness.
UCLA Bruins
As Go Joe Bruin detailed in its Final Defensive Recruiting Big Board, USC tried to enter the picture late with Burton and the Trojans’ presence in the decision-making of any recruit from Serra was always going to make UCLA fans understandably squeamish.
However, coming off Burton’s official visit to Westwood last weekend, Go Joe Bruin predicted that Burton would honor UCLA’s long-standing and dogged pursuit of him by choosing the Bruins tonight and that is exactly what he did when his moment in the national spotlight arrived.
Burton’s choice is likely to earn him the ire of most at his high school, but it will definitely earn him the love of a fanbase that has waited a long time to say that a Serra recruit signed with UCLA over USC.
UCLA fans will hope that Burton’s commitment is a sign of things to come on National Signing Day, as the Bruins have eight recruits they are still pursuing that will announce their college destinations on Wednesday.
Next: Go Joe Bruin Predicts UCLA Football's 2016 Signing Day Finish
Welcome to Westwood, Brandon!