The UCLA football program received 23 letters of intent Wednesday from a class of prospects that new coach Rick Neuheisel hopes will help in the process of making the Bruins an elite program.
Neuheisel said that a few of the incoming players could play as freshman, especially those who play in the defensive secondary and at running back.
In an afternoon teleconference, Neuheisel made a point to commend former coach Karl Dorrell, who originally recruited the majority of the class.
“This is a culmination of a lot of hard work,” Neuheisel said. “I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Karl Dorrell.
“I’m most proud of the kids for believing in each other as teammates, as people who are going to bring UCLA back to the forefront.”
The two biggest commitments for the Bruins may be running back Aundre Dean and safety Rahim Moore.
Dean is from Katy, Texas, and is ranked as one of the top runners in the country by several recruiting sites. The Bruins were especially thin at running back in 2007, and will be without senior Chris Markey next season. That could create an opening for Dean.
“Dean is a prototype tailback,” Neuheisel said. “He is a ready-made physical player.”
Moore is a local prospect from Dorsey High School. Scout.com rates him as the second best safety prospect in the nation. Neuheisel noted that Moore is able to play both safety and defensive back.
“Moore is a versatile secondary player,” Neuheisel said. “He has the physical frame that the NFL is looking for.”
The Bruins received even more good news Wednesday evening, when Birmingham High of Lake Balboa running back Milton Knox chose UCLA over Notre Dame.
Despite the elation that Neuheisel expressed Wednesday, there were some disappointments for the Bruins.
Hamani Stevens, a center from Hemet, Calif., committed to Oregon. He had narrowed his list to the Ducks and UCLA. It was a tough loss for the Bruins as their class is very strong in terms of skill, but it has just two offensive linemen.
Another twist of the signing day was Darrell Scott, a running back from Ventura, considered perhaps the best running back in the entire country. UCLA was not considered a likely destination for him until very recently. He chose Colorado on Wednesday, but apparently had serious interest in playing for UCLA.
“The decision came down to Monday, and I was very much tempted by UCLA,” Scott told the LA Times. “I just didn’t have enough time to establish a relationship with the coaching staff. I probably would have gone there if I did.”
One other noteworthy aspect of the Bruins’ class is its three quarterbacks. Neuheisel and his new offensive coordinator Norm Chow, received commitments from quarterbacks Nick Crissman, Kevin Craft and Kevin Prince on Wednesday. Craft is a junior college transfer who will enter UCLA with just two years of eligibility. Crissman will be a true freshman next year. Prince may take a gray-shirt and not practice with the team until 2009. He is also considering a Mormon mission, in which case, he wouldn’t play for UCLA until 2010.
Neuheisel said he wanted to protect the possibility of one of his quarterbacks transferring. The other Bruin quarterbacks are redshirt seniors Ben Olson and Pat Cowan, redshirt junior Osaar Rasshan and redshirt freshman Chris Forcier.