Edge Rusher Peter Bario Commits to UCLA Football As Walk-On
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The Bruins have added another preferred walk-on to their incoming group of freshmen.
Class of 2023 edge/defensive end Peter Bario announced his commitment to UCLA football Friday night. He joins offensive lineman Kory Symington as the second preferred walk-on to select Westwood as their future home this week.
Bario received an offer from outside linebackers coach and special teams coordinator Ikaika Malloe on Jan. 4, taking less than two weeks to pledge to the Bruins. The Campbell Hall High School (CA) product had two other FBS offers from Army and Air Force, but he ultimately decided to go to UCLA.
On April 24, 2022, Bario unofficially visited UCLA and thanked former defensive line coach Chad Kauha’aha’a for showing him around campus and the football facilities.
The 6-foot-3 pass rusher went to Arizona for its underclassmen day, was invited to Utah and Utah Tech for its junior day and unofficially visited Utah, Washington State and Air Force – all of which Bario shared on social media.
During his senior campaign at Campbell Hall, Bario helped lead his team to a 9-3 record. In 11 games, Bario accumulated 60 tackles, 19.0 tackles for loss, 11.0 sacks, two pass deflections, one interception, one blocked field goal and 23 quarterback hurries.
Bario earned First Team All League MVP honors for his performance on the season, and he was also his team's MVP.
The Los Angeles native won Defensive Line MVP at the You Are Athlete Regional Exposure Camp in his hometown last March. In the ensuing weeks, Bario was named a top-five player at his position a few weeks later at both the NICO Trenches Camp and the National Preps Showcase.
Bario joins Symington and two other class of 2023 walk-ons set to join the roster next year. Wide receiver Carter Shaw and long snapper Trent Middleton announced their decisions on Dec. 1 and Jan. 4, respectively.
The Bruins' defensive end group is going to be made up of Gabriel and Grayson Murphy, Laiatu Latu, Carl Jones and UPenn transfer Jake Heimlicher heading into 2023. That group could all be gone by next offseason, though, so the Bruins will need to build up depth as soon as possible.
Bario is likely going to not play much in 2023 as he fills a similar role to other preferred walk-ons who have entered the program before him. However, special teams opportunities and early season non-conference games may allow the Southern California product to hit the field at the Rose Bowl in his first year of collegiate football.
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PHOTO COURTESY OF PETER BARIO/TWITTER
