REPORT: UCLA, Big Ten Respected in Top Recruiting Class List

UCLA put in work this offseason as DeShaun Foster and his staff sunk their heels in Los Angeles, recruiting inside out to put together a solid recruiting class topped by the surprise signings of the Iamaleava brothers.

Foster proved to the nation that he is able to recruit the region, bring kids home, and compete with the big dogs.

Thus, UCLA got an honorable mention in Sports Illustrated's Bryan Fischer's list of the top recruiting classes in college football.

"Naturally, the addition of Nico Iamaleava was the biggest name to arrive in Westwood," Fischer wrote. "But the transfer class for DeShaun Foster was about much more than just a new quarterback. Over 25 new players were brought in this offseason and many should pocket the two-deep for a team trying to quickly turn things around after a strong finish to last year."

This is a massive victory for Foster, a man on the verge of a near $20-million war chest to go and pluck talent across the country.

Despite Foster's attention to Southern California, UCLA has expanded. Assistant coaches Ikaika Malloe, Andy Kwon, Burl Toler III and Tino Sunseri, among others, have spread the Bruin net from coast to coast.

Malloe in Hawaii and the Pacific Northwest, Kwan in the South, Toler in Northern California and surrounding areas, and Sunseri in Pennsylvania and the Midwest.

While UCLA climbs the ranks, it's their rival Oregon that leads the Big Ten on Fischer's list.

"Once again, Dan Lanning & Co. did a great job in the portal in landing a small but notable group of players whose hit rate should be extremely high," Fischer wrote. "Tailback Makhi Hughes figures to be a frontline starter in the backfield (his younger brother is also incoming to Eugene, Ore.) and was widely viewed as one of the best backs to enter the portal over the offseason."

"He’ll have no issues running behind the left side of the line, which adds a quality starter in Emmanuel Pregnon from Big Ten rival USC Trojans and new tackle World—a prospect some are already viewing as a potential early-round draft pick if he continues his development at the Power 4 level.

"Thieneman was an early, but notable, portal pickup who not only can be the team’s new starting safety but can also be a tone-setter after a solid season last year on a bad team. Defensive tackle Bear Alexander should acclimate quickly to a new school, and could be a great value at a hard to find position if he becomes a little more consistent down-to-down."

While Oregon may be backed by a billionaire, an injection of financial help plus Foster's improving record of putting players in the NFL might be enough to start to even the odds.

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