(Photo Courtesy of Marcelles Williams/Twitter)
St. John Bosco Cornerback Marcelles Williams Picks Up Offer From UCLA Football
The Bruins are headed back to a local pipeline, looking to get in early on one of the top defensive backs in the region.
UCLA football sent a scholarship offer to class of 2024 cornerback Marcelles Williams on Thursday morning, the recruit announced on Twitter. Williams is wrapping up his sophomore year at St. John Bosco (CA), a favorite target school of coach Chip Kelly's staff that has been drawing even more focus than usual this offseason.
Williams now has 29 FBS offers, with the Bruins joining the likes of Arizona, Arizona State, Arkansas, Auburn, Boston College, Colorado, Florida State, Louisville, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Oregon, Oregon State, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, USC and Utah.
Williams stopped by Westwood on April 21, getting a tour of Wasserman Football Center, meeting with defensive backs coach Brian Norwood and watching the Bruins hit the field for one of their final spring camp sessions.
Earlier in the offseason, Williams visited Texas, Texas A&M, LSU, USC, Auburn, Miami, Florida State and Arizona State. Williams was at the Sun Devils' spring game and visited Tempe for a gameday last fall, and he went to Ohio State and USC last summer as well.
Williams has two older brothers – USC safety Max WIlliams and Arizona State cornerback Macen WIlliams.
In his sophomore season at St. John Bosco, the 6-foot Williams racked up 46 tackles, 10 pass breakups and 3.0 tackles for loss, helping him earn spots on the All-Trinity League First Team and MaxPreps' Sophomore All-American First Team. Williams was named defensive backs MVP at the Speed-Power-Exposure Camp and earned a spot on the Polynesian Bowl roster in the offseason.
Williams is a four-star recruit, according to both 247Sports and Rivals. In the 247Sports Composite, Williams ranks as the No. 9 corner in the country, the No. 10 recruit in California and the No. 90 overall prospect in his class.
The Braves' defense last season boasted several future Bruins and UCLA recruiting targets, including 2022 safety Jaxon Harley and 2023 linebacker Ty Lee, who have both committed in the past month. Class of 2022 linebacker Jalen Woods signed with the Bruins back in December as well.
UCLA's staff has also sent offers to 2023 offensive tackle Raymond Pulido, 2023 edge rusher Matayo Uiagalelei and 2024 safety Peyton Woodyard out of St. John Bosco. Already on the roster, signing in the class of 2020, are receiver Logan Loya, linebacker JonJon Vaughns and defensive back Jake Newman.
Should Williams join the group of Bosco alums in Westwood, he would presumably be a young centerpiece in the future cornerbacks room. Devin Kirkwood might leave for the NFL after the 2023 campaign, while Jaylin Davies and John Humphrey could be in their final years with the program come 2024.
Norwood certainly has plenty of competition in reeling in Williams, and it will surely be a long road ahead in recruiting the local blue chip.
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