UCLA Extends Offer to Fast-Rising 2026 EDGE Prospect

Despite not having a permanent head coach, UCLA's recruiting staff, led by general manager Khary Darlington, has been actively recruiting the 2026 cycle, landing two commitments earlier this week.

As the cycle winds down, the Bruins are looking to add even more talent, and they recently extended an offer to a three-star EDGE prospect who is one of the fastest rising stars in the country.

Which Prospect did UCLA Extend An Offer To?

Heading into September, Sefa Sackey, a three-star EDGE from Deer Park High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, had a total of zero offers. Fast-forward to the end of October, and the 6'7", 205-pound athlete has now racked up 13 offers and been on six official visits (OVs).

UCLA didn't want to miss out on the action and extended Sackey an offer on October 24. Sackey shared that the Bruins offered him on X, writing, "Blessed and Honored to receive my 13th Division 1 offer from the University of California, Los Angeles."

UCLA footbal — UCLA's Ezavier Staples, center, holds up a Michigan State towel while celebrating with the team after the Bruins win over Michigan State on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Sackey's story is pretty crazy. He originally wanted to play Division I basketball, and 2025 is his first year playing varsity football. In his first game for Deer Park, he recorded three sacks.

That performance has led to his meteoric recruiting rise, with 247Sports' composite rankings now listing him as the No. 812 player in the 2026 cycle, the No. 78 EDGE, and the No. 37 prospect from Ohio.

UCLA helme — 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

The Bruins are pretty late into Sackey's recruitment as he's already taking OVs with Toledo, Northwestern, Vanderbilt, USC, Virginia, and Wake Forest. Darlington and the rest of the recruiting staff must make up a lot of ground fast if they want a chance to land Sackey.

It's rare for a player to blow up this late in a recruiting cycle, but the timing works out perfectly for UCLA. After firing head coach DeShaun Foster, the Bruins had 12 members of their 2026 class decommit from the program, so adding talent as the cycle winds down is essential for the program.

UCLA's interim head coach Tim Skipper celebrates after a Bruins touchdown against Michigan State during the third quarter on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Adding a player of Sackey's caliber to their 2026 class would be massive for the Bruins. UCLA has already proven that it can still recruit at a high level without a permanent head coach, and it'll have to get Sackey up on campus in Westwood for an OV as soon as possible if it wants to land him.

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