Elite Defensive End Jayden Wayne Secures Offer From UCLA Football

The top player in Washington and one of the best pass-rushers in the class of 2023 is being courted by the Bruins.

The Bruins have officially taken the next step in their pursuit of one of the top defensive players in the nation.

UCLA football has sent a scholarship offer to class of 2023 defensive end Jayden Wayne, he announced on Twitter on Saturday. Wayne is a 6-foot-5, 245-pound prospect out of Lincoln High School (WA) and is one of the hottest names on the market.

Wayne also has offers from Alabama, Arizona, Arizona State, Arkansas, Auburn, Cal, Colorado, Florida, FAU, Georgetown, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, LSU, Miami (FL), Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Oregon, Oregon State, Penn State, TCU, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, UNLV, USC, Utah, Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech, Washington and Washington State.

Duke and Virginia are also going after Wayne, so between those schools and UCLA, USC, Michigan, Georgia Tech, Notre Dame and Georgetown, he clearly is in very good academic standing. Wayne took visits to Washington, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Texas, Texas A&M, USC, Notre Dame, Michigan, Oregon, Florida and Miami (FL) late last spring when the COVID-19 dead period ended, but he has not disclosed any trip to Westwood as of Sunday.

UCLA had been checking in with Wayne all season, though, and he is one of the highest-rated prospects the staff has had their eye on for the upcoming cycle.

Wayne is a five-star recruit according to both the 247Sports Composite and Rivals, earning four stars from ESPN. Rivals is the highest on Wayne, penciling him in as the No. 3 defensive lineman and No. 10 player in the country, while the 247Sports Composite has him at No. 5 and No. 31 and ESPN has him at No. 9 and No. 75.

All three outlets have Wayne as the top player in the state of Washington, and he is rated higher in the 247Sports Composite than any UCLA commit in the coach Chip Kelly era.

Between his sophomore and junior seasons at Lincoln, Wayne played 14 games and accumulated 79 tackles, 19.0 tackles for loss, 11.0 sacks, 23 quarterback hurries and three forced fumbles. Wayne also has experience as a tight end, as he racked up 269 yards and five touchdowns on 18 receptions this fall.

UCLA losing Greg Dulcich opens up a hole at tight end moving forward, but Wayne is far more likely to be a solution for the Bruins' lacking pass rush. The 2021 team ranked 91st in the country in sack rate, and with almost all of the starters likely gone by the time 2023 rolls around, Wayne would be a massive addition to a potential new foundation.

New outside linebackers coach Ikaika Malloe is the one running point on Wayne's recruitment. Washington sent Wayne an offer and hosted him for a visit when Malloe was still on the Huskies' staff, so the coaching changes have not robbed UCLA of any ground in pursuing Wayne.

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