UCLA Freshman Spotlight: LaRue Zamorano III

Episode 9 of the UCLA Freshman Spotlight series.

Aug 31, 2024; Honolulu, Hawaii, USA; UCLA Bruins defensive back Bryan Addison (4), defensive back K.J. Wallace (7), and defensive back Devin Kirkwood (3) during the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex. Mandatory Credit: Marco Garcia-Imagn Images | Marco Garcia-Imagn Images

UCLA did a great job of buffing up its secondary with the 2025 recruiting class. Like his fellow teammate Chase Coleman, freshman cornerback LaRue Zamorano III will also look to make an impact for new defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe and the Bruins.

Coming out of Centennial High School in Corona, CA, Zamorano was ranked between a three and four-star recruit and was in the top 70 of the best cornerbacks in the State of California. As a junior, he was named to the First Team All-Big West League, a huge honor for a player his age.

Nov 8, 2024; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe, center, celebrates with linebacker Carson Schwesinger (49) defensive back Jaylin Davies (6) after an interception in the second half against the Iowa Hawkeyes at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

"Zamorano is one of the region’s top defensive back prospects with a very high ceiling," wrote Greg Biggins of 247Sports. "He has battled some injuries over the last year, and we haven’t seen a ton of him this off-season, but when healthy, he has a rare combination of length and athleticism. At 6-2, 180 pounds, he has very good size for the corner position and can smother an opposing receiver at the line of scrimmage. He’s a physical player who will come up and hit you and is one of the better open-field tacklers in the region. He has the size to match up with the bigger receivers and runs well enough to make plays down the field.

He doesn’t panic in trail technique and is able to make plays on the football without clutching or holding. He’s fluid in his movement and his ability to play in press, off or even some safety if needed make him one of the more versatile defensive backs in the country. He’s a high Power 4 prospect with the ability to be a multi-year starter at the college level and the talent to play on Sunday’s as well."

Why UCLA?

Zamorano was a highly touted prospect, getting offers from major programs like Penn State, Oregon, and USC. Ultimately, he decided on UCLA, getting to stay relatively close to home while joining a stacked and hungry secondary looking to do great things in upcoming seasons.

While there is a good chance that Zamorano will end up redshirting this season, he can no doubt grow to be a force in the Big Ten with a few years of experience under his belt.

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