UCLA Fighting for Rising Offensive Lineman

The UCLA Bruins are locked in a heated recruiting battle for a class of 2026 offensive lineman with high upside.

Hamilton tackle Rex Waterman (73) blocks defensive end Ben Jones (79) during practice at Hamilton High School at the Chandler Unified School District Spring Football Jamboree on May 14, 2024, in Chandler. / Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

The UCLA Bruins have been doing all they can to secure more commitments in this 2026 class. One of the prospects they've been beating down the door for is Rex Waterman, a 6-foot-5 offensive lineman with an incredibly high ceiling.

Waterman is the No. 18 class of 2026 recruit in Arizona for the class of 2026, per 247Sports, which has him rated a three-star.

UCLA is currently battling Duke and Nebraska for the services of Waterman. He'll be kicking off his official visits with the Bruins on May 16, followed by a trip to Nebraska on June 6, and will round out his visits with a trip to Duke on June 13.

The UCLA coaching staff has received four commits so far in the 2026 class but has only secured wide receivers. Grabbing some offensive line help has to be at the top of the list for DeShaun Foster and the Bruins' coaching staff.

It could be big for a variety of reasons. Obviously, offensive line is one of the most important position groups in football. It's crucial to ensure you're going to have good offensive line play, especially in the Big Ten.

Getting the momentum tipped in the Bruins' direction would be huge for this class. It's great to have four commitments already, and it's great to have weapons, but you need more. If they can start getting the ball rolling on some more commitments, it could be all they need for the floodgates to open after the first domino falls.

Foster has been working hard to set a new culture and build relationships with prospects across the country in search of guys who will fit that mold. It's extremely difficult to build credibility on the recruiting trail, but Foster has been doing everything he can do to boost the UCLA programs standing with prospects.

Over the coming weeks, business should pick up significantly on the recruiting front. Official visits will begin, and it will give an indication of what this class will shape up to be. If the Bruins start to secure a flurry of commitments during official visit season, it could spell success for a program that's still evolving and building a new era.

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