EXCLUSIVE: 2027 DL Elija Harmon Talks UCLA's Elite Prospect Night

UCLA football hosted its Elite Prospect Night last Thursday. You can read about one of the attendees' experience in this exclusive.

Nov 30, 2024; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach DeShaun Foster greets his players after a Bruins touchdown against the Fresno State Bulldogs in the third quarter at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

UCLA football had a very busy month of January, which concluded with its Elite Prospect Night on Thursday.

The event welcomed prospects from the class of 2026 and 2027, giving them an opportunity to meet the coaching staff.

One of the many recruits in attendance was class of 2027 defensive lineman Elija Harmon of Inglewood High School.

"It was really cool getting to know the coaches more and the new coaches that they brought in," Harmon said.

Harmon was impressed by UCLA defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe, whose "attention to detail" stood out to the prospect.

"When he was presenting his coaching philosophy and stuff, he had a lot of detail, and I liked that a lot," Malloe said.

Thursday's event was an important one for UCLA coach DeShaun Foster, who has been hard at work on the recruiting trail in what is just his second offseason at the helm.

"I definitely see him [Foster] building a winning culture," Harmon said. "You could just tell that everybody in that building cares a lot about each other. I got to talk to him; he was a real cool, down-to-earth guy, and he really seemed like he cared about his players."

Recruits at UCLA's Elite Prospect Night also attended the Bruins' men's basketball team's home game against Oregon, a contest UCLA would win, 78-52. The opportunity allowed them to experience some of the campus, as well as the energy of Pauley Pavilion.

"It [the campus] was definitely beautiful," Harmon said. "When we were on the way to the game, you could just tell that there was a lot of life in the campus. You walked out, people [were] dancing and just having fun, genuine fun. So, yeah, that definitely stood out to me. Seemed like it was a really cool place to be."

Harmon, who was offered by the Bruins back in September, intends on making more visits to UCLA.

"I definitely plan on going back up there a couple times this spring and checking out a couple of their game this fall," he said. "So, yeah, I'm definitely planning to get back to Westwood and Pasadena."

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