The UCLA Football program continues the recent recruiting tear with another commitment. This time the action moves to the defensive line.
The Bruins have been busy loading up their defensive secondary but tonight they were able to move up to the front of the defense. 2018 3-star DE Abdul-Malik McClain made his commitment to the Bruins via twitter.
He hasn’t even started his senior season yet and already he has an impressive build. Listed at six-foot-four and 225 pounds, McClain has the frame to easily add on another 20-25 pounds if was going to stay full time at DE. He does show enough bend in his waist and burst off the line to make me believe he could stand up as an OLB.
With McClain pledging the UCLA Football program the Bruins now have three defensive line commits joining Niti Liu and Aaron Maldonado. The three make up some of the more solid talent out West in 2018.
RELATED-UCLA Football: Bruins get third commit in one day with 3-star WR CJ Parks
https://twitter.com/malikmcclain8_/status/892201958638895108
McClain will likely play with his hand in the dirt for this UCLA Football team but if he can prove that he can play as an off-ball LB the Bruins may flirt with more of the multiple front packages they hinted at in the past couple seasons. If he red-shirts and is able to gain experience during the 2019 season he will help ease the transition on the d-line if Jaelan Phillips leaves early for the draft.
If McClain turns out to be an Angus McClure recruit then that means all three UCLA Football defensive positional coaches have locked up a recruit in the past three days. The Bruins held a huge summer BBQ a few days ago with many of their top targets and it looks like that may have given them a huge leg up on the competition.
Summer BBQ.#GoBruins | #4sUp pic.twitter.com/nCRkMaiuM9
— UCLA Football (@UCLAFootball) June 26, 2017
Next: UCLA Football: 2017 Fall practice schedule released
It seems despite a poor showing on the field in 2016 the Bruins still have plenty of pull. Is the Wasserman Football Center having that much of an impact and if so how amazing will the grand opening be in the morning? Or is this a question of a little more heat on Mora’s seat? Either way it’s hard to argue with the results.