UCLA Football Recruiting: 3-star Jake Newman commits to the Bruins

The UCLA football team got another addition to their 2020 class as 3-star safety Jake Newman (St. John Bosco/Bellflower, CA) has committed to the Bruins.

It is no secret that the recruiting efforts of the UCLA football coaching staff have improved from last season. Further proof of this comes in the form of their fourth commit for the 2020 class as 6’0, 189-pound safety Jake Newman has committed to the Bruins.

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Exactly one year ago, UCLA did not have a single commit for the 2019 class (QB Chase Griffin was the Bruins’ first in that cycle, giving his pledge on June 15, 2018), and now they have four. Though the recruiting is still taking its time, it has progressed significantly, especially with the “8Clap8th” recruiting strategy.

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Newman had been one of the April 8Clap8th recipients, and just over two months later, he becomes the first defensive back to commit to the Bruins. He joins 4-star QB Parker McQuarrie, 3-stars DE Jay Max Jacobsen, and LB Jeremiah Trojan. This gives the Bruins the 10th best class in the Pac-12 and the 69th best in the nation.

So what does Newman bring to the Bruins’ secondary? Pain.

One of the first things you notice about Newman is how aggressive he plays. He is not the fastest defender on the field, but his acceleration will surprise many.

When he takes off, he can zero-in on the ball carrier and will often stop them in their tracks due to his mindful tackling techniques. He is also quite a heavy hitter, so not only will he immediately drop his opposition, he will push them back a few yards.

Newman can also play in both zone and man defense. He is keen on picking up ball carriers in his area and has great pursuit, but he can also stick to receivers and disrupt passing plays. Either way, he is going to bring a lot of energy and aggressiveness which should help him fit in nicely with this defense.

Welcome to Westwood, Jake!