Elite 2027 Safety Names UCLA in Top 5

Bob Chesney and the Bruins continue to compete for some of their top targets in the 2027 class.

Oct 25, 2025; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; UCLA Bruins defensive back Key Lawrence (4) celebrates after a play during the first half against the Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

UCLA Bob Chesney and his staff have been doing a fantastic job on the 2027 recruiting trail in recent weeks, as the Bruins continue to emerge as a contender for several of the nation's top prospects. 

Over the past month, Chesney and company have made significant progress with some of their top 2027 targets, including a four-star in-state safety who recently named UCLA as one of his top five schools. 

Bruins Make Top Five For 4-Star 2027 Safety

On Feb. 19, Rivals’ Greg Biggins reported that Gavin Williams, a four-star safety from Damien High School in La Verne, California, had named UCLA as one of his top five schools, along with Notre Dame, Texas A&M, USC, and Washington. 

🚨NEWS🚨 4-star safety Gavin Williams is down to Washington, Texas A&M, UCLA, USC and Notre Dame, @GregBiggins reports‼️

Read: https://t.co/BmylJjwMxk pic.twitter.com/ahCWOBM9I5

— Rivals (@Rivals) February 20, 2026

Since taking over as UCLA’s head coach, Chesney has made Williams a priority recruit, and his efforts have paid off, as the Bruins have now established themselves as serious contenders for the young defensive back.

Williams is the second elite 2027 prospect to name UCLA as a finalist in his recruitment over the past few days, joining four-star quarterback Dane Weber, who included the Bruins in his top eight schools on Thursday. 

Jul 29, 2022; Los Angeles, CA, USA; A detailed view of UCLA Bruins helmet during Pac-12 Media Day at Novo Theater. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

In addition to making Williams’ top five, UCLA is scheduled to host him on campus in Westwood for an official visit (OV) from May 15-19. He announced his Bruins OV on X, writing, “OV locked in.” 

Getting Williams on campus for an OV is a crucial step in UCLA’s pursuit of him, as it will help the Bruins improve their overall standing in his recruitment as he gets closer to making a decision. 

OV locked in #GoBruins @Coach_DiMike pic.twitter.com/G7VOS3mhP3

— Gavin Williams 4⭐️ (@gavinnwill) February 19, 2026

Upgrading the secondary is one of UCLA’s top priorities in the 2027 cycle, and Williams would be a fantastic addition to the Bruins’ class. Rivals’ industry rankings list him as the No. 146 overall player nationally, the No. 13 safety, and the No. 13 prospect in California.  

Although the Bruins have made Williams' final five, they’ll still face competition from his other finalists in the coming months. As of now, USC is the frontrunner for the four-star safety, with Rivals’ Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM) giving the Trojans a 32.1% chance of landing him, with UCLA a close second at .9%.

Jan 31, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head football coach Bob Chesney is introduced during the basketball game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Williams hasn’t set a commitment date, but he’ll likely decide after his OVs this spring. If UCLA continues to make progress with him in the coming months and impresses him during his OV, the Bruins should be well-positioned to land one of the top defensive backs in the 2027 class.

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