UCLA Football Early Signing Day Breakdown: RB Isaiah Carlson

As the National Letters of Intent come rolling in, All Bruins is going to be taking an in-depth look at every recruit who signs with UCLA in real time. Next up, running back Isaiah Carlson.

Isaiah Carlson, Running Back

Hometown: Ferndale, Washington
High School: Ferndale
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 220 pounds
2022 Stats: N/A
247Sports Composite: Four-Star, No. 38 ATH, No. 8 WA, No. 583 overall
High School Offers: Arizona, Cal, Montana, Nevada, Oregon State, UCLA, Washington State
Commitment Date: Dec. 4, 2022

The Bruins may be dipping into the transfer portal for running backs again, but they are also adding another from the high school ranks.

Ferndale (WA) product Isaiah Carlson is the Bruins' only prospect coming into Westwood from the state of Washington, and the 6-foot-2 tailback made it official on Wednesday by signing his National Letter of Intent to join UCLA football.

"I'm excited to be a Bruin because I get to attend the #1 public university and also a top contender in college football," Carlson said in a statement released by the team. "The program as a whole is going up and I'm excited to make a difference. I can't wait for the connections I'm going to make and the coaches and teammates I'll soon bond with. 4's up and go Bruins."

Big Back Coming Through! 🚜

Washington ✈️ California#GoBruins | #NSD23 | @IsaiahCarlson4 pic.twitter.com/Ht2f1Ou4nq
— UCLA Football (@UCLAFootball) December 21, 2022

Carlson is a three-star recruit, according to 247Sports, Rivals, ESPN and On3. In the 247Sports Composite rankings, Carlson comes in as the No. 8 prospect in Washington, the No. 38 athlete in the country and the No. 583 overall recruit in his class.

Among running backs in the West region, Carlson ranks No. 5.

The Bruins are going to have to once again retool their running back in 2023, with another back likely NFL-bound. Former Michigan transfer and two-year starter Zach Charbonnet is widely expected to turn pro after the Sun Bowl, although he does have another year of eligibility left to burn.

Kazmeir Allen, Keegan Jones, TJ Harden and Colson Yankoff all split backup duties during the regular season, with Deshun Murrell and Christian Grubb filling reserve roles. Allen – primarily a wide receiver – could go to the NFL as well, while Grubb entered the transfer portal on Wednesday, leaving plenty of touches up for grabs between returning contributors and fresh faces.

Army transfer Anthony Adkins committed to UCLA on Monday, and the power back has three years of eligibility remaining. The Bruins were heavily pursuing Oregon's Byron Cardwell before he committed to Cal on Wednesday, but that could open the door for the Golden Bears' Jadyn Ott to enter the portal himself.

Carlson could get some backup playing time at times, namely in short-yardage situations as a larger back, but Adkins, Harden and Yankoff are all bigger and more experienced. Jones is likely going to be the Bruins' top receiver out of the backfield if Allen doesn't return, while Ott or another transfer such as Texas A&M's LJ Johnson Jr. or Ball State's Carson Steele would be in line for the lead back duties.

Either way, Carlson is more likely to make an impact with UCLA once the Bruins make their move to the Big Ten.

Click here to check out All Bruins' 2023 early signing period tracker

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PHOTO COURTESY OF ISAIAH CARLSON/INSTAGRAM