Junior offensive lineman Xavier Su’a-Filo announced via Twitter Saturday that he will skip his senior year of eligibility and declare for the 2014 NFL Draft.
“Thank you to @UCLACoachMora @IAMKLEMM @Coach_Alosi and the rest of my coaching staff for their support & letting me be apart (sic) of this team,” he tweeted.
Su’a Filo, who left the UCLA football team after his freshman season for a two-year mission with the Mormon Church, talked about his age potentially playing a factor in the draft process in the days following the USC game.
“I’m not getting any younger,” Su’a-Filo said. “I’m the same age as a fifth-year senior … so I have to see how much that factors into the opinions of some of those NFL guys.”
Even as just a junior, he was the leader of a 2013 offensive line that at the end of the season included three freshmen and one redshirt sophomore, center Jacob Brendel. After injuries to redshirt sophomore offensive tackle Torian White and sophomore offensive tackle Simon Goines, Su’a Filo moved outside from his normal position at left guard and played left tackle for the Bruins.
Su’a Filo was named to the All-Pac-12 First Team in both 2012 and 2013 and was awarded the 2013 Morris Trophy, an award given to the top offensive and defensive linemen in the Pac-12 and is voted on by opposing Pac-12 linemen. He was also named a second-team All-American by the Associated Press.
Williams Commits
Consensus four-star outside linebacker Dwight Williams of Junipero Serra High School in Gardena, Calif., committed to UCLA during the broadcast of the US Army All American Bowl. Williams also took official visits to Oklahoma and Florida.
He is ranked No. 175 in the ESPN 300 for the Class of 2014 and is now the sixth member of the ESPN 300 for this year’s graduating class to commit to UCLA.
Compiled by Andrew Erickson, Bruin Sports senior staff.