On Thursday, two very highly touted recruits trimmed their lists of their top colleges down to five schools as 4-star WR Jameson Williams and TE Ethan Rae are both looking at the UCLA football team.
Recruiting is a process and for the UCLA football team, it is slow going, but it is getting there. Since Chip Kelly took over the program, he has been meticulous in handing out scholarship offers as he only wants student-athletes that can not only cut it on the field, but in the classroom.
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Though that does limit the pool of prospects that will make it to UCLA, it is something that will be good for the Bruins in the end.
Still, UCLA does not have a player committed to the 2019 recruiting class, but that could change as there are several prospects listing the Bruins as one of their top choices. On Thursday, two more top targets released their lists of top 5 schools and UCLA appeared in both.
Four-star prospects WR Jameson Williams and TE Ethan Rae had released their top 5 lists just a few hours apart from each other.
In God’s Hands. pic.twitter.com/TVBi8agVzV
— Ethan Rae (@Rae__Ethan) June 15, 2018
Williams (Cardinal Ritter College Prep/St. Louis, MO) fits the prototype of what Kelly is looking for in a player as he is definitely long and fast. At 6’2, 160 lbs., he is tall enough to make plays around shorter defenders, but he is also lean enough to make quick reactions, especially in traffic. On top of that he is fast and his length gives him the long strides he needs to outrun players in pursuit of him. Currently, Williams looks to be leaning toward Ohio State, but things can change between now and national signing day.
Rae (Orange Lutheran/Orange, CA) looks like he is growing very warm to UCLA as this is the second time the Bruins have made one of his lists. Just last month, Rae listed his top 10, which UCLA was obviously on, but now it is getting a bit serious.
The 6’5, 240 lbs. baller out of Orange County could be the next big tight end at UCLA behind Caleb Wilson and Devin Asiasi. He has good hands, can create space and does a fine job with his blocking assignments. According to 247Sports, he seems to be a heavy UCLA lean.
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Though they are not commitments, it is always good to keep track of what is going on with recruits. Both of these players are top-notch athletes and if Kelly can swing them towards the UCLA football team, that is going to be a victory for the program in and of itself.