Class of 2023 CB Rodrick Pleasant Includes UCLA Football in Top 6

The Bruins have solidified a spot in the race for one of the top defensive backs in the country.

Class of 2023 cornerback Rodrick Pleasant trimmed his list of options down to six on Thursday, including UCLA football as one of the remaining contenders. The local product's other five finalists, released in conjunction with 247Sports, were Boston College, Cal, Oregon, Penn State and USC.

Pleasant had previously announced a top 13 in February, with Georgia, Texas, Michigan, Utah, Arizona, Ole Miss and Colorado all failing to make the cut this time around. Arizona State, Boise State, BYU, Pittsburgh, Purdue, San Diego State, Tennessee, TCU, Vanderbilt and Washington had previously extended Pleasant offers as well, but they remain on the outside looking in.

Gardena (Calif.) Serra DB Rodrick Pleasant cut his list of schools to six and breaks down, locked in two more official visits and broke down each of his finalists https://t.co/2yKSPmvWMh pic.twitter.com/LxTYyqZ7yE
— Greg Biggins (@GregBiggins) July 14, 2022

Pleasant took his first official visit to Boston College in June, and he has ones booked for Cal and Oregon in the fall. Because he plans to run track at Junipero Serra (CA) next spring, Pleasant told 247Sports he is not looking to enroll early and therefore has a longer timeframe to take his other officials and ultimately make a decision.

UCLA first offered Pleasant in late July 2021 following an unofficial visit he took to Westwood. Defensive backs coach Brian Norwood – one of the few holdovers from last year's defensive staff – has remained in close contact with Pleasant ever since.

While Pleasant is projected to play cornerback at the college level, he also lined up as a nickel back, kick returner, running back and receiver for Junipero Serra this past season. Pleasant helped lead the Cavaliers to an 11-4 record and playoff victory, playing his home games just 20 miles south of Westwood.

The 5-foot-11, 180-pound Gardena native ran a state-record 10.14-second 100-meter dash this year, faster than the 10.44-second time UCLA receiver Kazmeir Allen posted when he won the California State Championships in 2018.

Pleasant has earned a four-star rating from 247Sports, Rivals, ESPN and On3. In the 247Sports Composite, Pleasant comes in as the No. 9 recruit in California, the No. 12 cornerback in the country and the No. 103 overall prospect in his class.

As the consensus top-ranked uncomitted defensive back in California, Pleasant stands as a priority target for the Bruins. Five of the seven class of 2023 cornerbacks who had offers from UCLA have already committed elsewhere, leaving just Pleasant and fellow in-state four-star Maliki Crawford as the only remaining options.

Crawford, who had initially committed to UCLA in July 2021 before decommitting in January, recently put the Bruins in his top three.

Should UCLA's staff manage to reel in Pleasant, Crawford or both in the coming months, they could salvage what currently stands as a small and low-ranked 2023 recruiting class. With just five commits midway though the summer, the Bruins boast the 247Sports Composite's No. 68 recruiting class in the country and No. 10 in the Pac-12.

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