When Is Last Time UCLA Had Top-15 Recruiting Class?

The UCLA Bruins landed their 16th and 17th commitments for the class of 2026 on Monday after three-star wide receivers Xavier Stinson and Santana Carlos pledged to Westwood following official visits over the weekend.

These two commits are part of an extended recruiting hot streak spanning over two weekends for DeShaun Foster and his staff. After sitting near the late 30s and early 40s in class rankings entering June, the Bruins shot up to No. 13 on Rivals' team recruiting ranking list as of Monday.

The last time UCLA finished with a top-15 class in the nation was 2016, when it finished No. 12 overall. The 2016 recruiting class was highlighted by five-star linebacker Mique Juarez. Eleven of UCLA's 30 pledges that year were four-stars. The Bruins also had the No. 13 class the year before in 2015.

Dating back to 2017, UCLA's last nine recruiting classes have an average Rivals recruiting class team ranking of 44th, reaching its lowest placement in 2024, placing 84th.

Foster and the Bruins have pledges from six four-star recruits (according to Rivals' ratings) and have landed nine of their 17 total commitments in the month of June. In his first full offseason at the helm, the second-year head coach is making Westwood a destination for athletes all around the country by focusing on building long-lasting relationships coast-to-coast.

This is evidenced by the commitments of Stinson and Carlos and four-star offensive linemen Micah "Champion" Smith and Johnnie Jones Jr. all coming from Foster's newly developed Florida pipeline.

Stinson told UCLA Bruins on SI about what attracted him to Westwood and it had a lot to do with Foster's new cultural foundation.

"Definitely culture and how personal it is," Stinson told UCLA Bruins on SI on what attracted his pledge. "The receiver coaches and offensive coordinator helped me make this decision. I feel truly honored for them to believe in me. I don’t plan on taking any other visits; I have canceled all of the remaining visits that I had. It’s time to have some fun."

Despite finishing their first Big Ten Conference season with a 5-7 record, Foster and the Bruins are brewing a culture that makes Westwood a premier location for years to come.

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