OL Kory Symington Commits to UCLA Football as Preferred Walk-On

Another SoCal player has declared his intentions to join the Bruins.

Class of 2023 offensive lineman Kory Symington verbally committed to UCLA football on Tuesday night, he revealed on Twitter. The Bruins sent Symington a preferred walk-on offer on Jan. 4, and it took him less than a week to pounce on it.

The Patrick Henry High School (CA) product was sitting on one other offer from his hometown school, San Diego.

COMMITTED‼️🔵🟡 #4’sUp #GoBruins #AG2G @GPSymington @CoachDaviesPHHS @HenryFootball1 @KUSIPPR @SDPrepInsider @BrandonHuffman @GregBiggins @UCLAFootball @CoachDrev @CutterLeftwich pic.twitter.com/D1uNf6XVss
— Kory Symington (@SymingtonKory) January 11, 2023

Symington was drawing attention from several other programs across the West region over the past year, first attending Junior Days at Cal Poly and Idaho. San Diego State hosted Symington at their Spring Game before he took unofficial visits to Utah State and Cal Poly.

Adams State invited Symington for an official visit at the end of January, but that was before UCLA offered him a roster spot.

The breakout moment for Symington on the recruiting trail was at the ESPN300 Elite Underclassmen Camp in Las Vegas last May. 247Sports National Recruiting Editor Brandon Huffman complimented Symington on his performance at the event playing left tackle, but said he may be better off moving to the interior line at the next level.

According to 247Sports, Symington is a two-star recruit.

Symington made the San Diego City Conference All-League First Team Offense in 2021. The 6-foot-3, 270-pound prospect repeated in that spot in 2022, ultimately setting him up for even more college interest.

UCLA has now picked up three preferred walk-on commitments this offseason, with wide receiver Carter Shaw and long snapper Trent Middleton announcing their decisions on Dec. 1 and Jan. 4, respectively.

The Bruins' offensive line is set to lose three starters this offseason, as left guard Atonio Mafi ran out of eligibility and left tackle Raiqwon O'Neal and right guard Jon Gaines II declared a year early for the 2023 NFL Draft. Offensive tackle Tyler Manoa and offensive guard Baraka Beckett entered the transfer portal in October, further depleting UCLA of its most veteran players up front.

Symington – like this year's freshmen Sam Yoon and preferred walk-on Niki Prongos – is likely not coming to Westwood to contribute on the field right away, but he will give the program much-needed depth in practice at the very least. Three-star Summit (CA) product Tavake Tuikolovatu is the only other class of 2023 offensive lineman who is set to join the program for next season.

Follow Connon on Twitter at @SamConnon
Follow All Bruins on Twitter at @FN_AllBruins
Like All Bruins on Facebook at @FN.AllBruins
Subscribe to All Bruins on YouTube

Read more UCLA stories: UCLA Bruins on Sports Illustrated
Read more UCLA football stories: UCLA Football on Sports Illustrated