Two-Way Athlete Ethan O'Connor Earns Offer From UCLA Football

The receiver-cornerback hybrid recruit has been targeted by the Bruins' staff, which is still looking for their first 2023 commit.

The Bruins have made their interest official in another upcoming prospect.

Class of 2023 athlete Ethan O'Connor picked up a scholarship offer from UCLA football on Monday, the recruit announced on Twitter and Instagram. The Los Alamitos High School (CA) junior plays both receiver and cornerback, but got his offer from defensive backs coach Brian Norwood.

O'Connor also has offers from Alabama, Arizona, Arizona State, Georgia, Kansas, LSU, Northern Arizona, Penn State, TCU, Texas A&M, USC and Wisconsin.

The Bruins' crosstown foes were one of the first teams in on O'Connor, offering him all the way back in January 2021. LSU was O'Connor's first offer, sending it in before his sophomore season started, but both the Tigers and Trojans have had coaching changes since initially connecting with him.

Two of O'Connor's teammates at Los Alamitos are committed to USC, though, and he is one of two additional prospects still being targeted by Lincoln Riley's staff, so the Orange County native has a high likelihood of playing his college ball in Los Angeles.

The 247Sports Composite and Rivals both have O'Connor pegged as a three-star recruit, while ESPN currently does not have him rated or ranked. O'Connor is the No. 31 player in California, the No. 33 athlete and the No. 460 overall player in his class, according to the 247Sports Composite.

O'Connor could play corner or safety for the Bruins, should that be his ultimate destination. He is one of three class of 2023 athletes UCLA's staff has offered, two of which project to be defensive backs.

Between those two and the traditional several corners and safeties who have picked up offers, the Bruins are currently in on 10 defensive backs in the upcoming cycle. While they do not have any commits at the moment, UCLA will need to add some in the coming months as the position group is slated to get thinned out even further next offseason.

Safeties Quentin Lake, Qwuantrezz Knight and DJ Warnell, plus cornerbacks Jay Shaw, Cameron Johnson and Obi Eboh left after the 2021 season. Safeties Stephan Blaylock, Mo Osling III and Kenny Churchwell, in addition to cornerback Azizi Hearn, will be leaving at the end of 2022.

Devin Kirkwood and Jaylin Davies will be around at corner come 2023, with Kamari Ramsey, Croix Stewart and Clint Stephens at safety, but the depth past those current underclassmen is thin to nonexistent.

O'Connor has a shot to join that group, but the 6-foot-2, 170-pound prospect has yet to narrow the field or schedule key dates in his decision-making process.

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