Chip Kelly is in the Captain seat for UCLA, and his first big task is National Signing Day. Can the offensive mastermind create a new era in LA and bring UCLA back into national contention? So far, he seems to be doing just fine, pulling together a #20 class, as of the day before NSD. Kelly and Co. have a new start and are hoping to reignite the national spotlight on UCLA and take it away from the team across the way in Cardinal Red and Gold.
An early enrollee Jaelan Phillips, a DE for the Bruins, has been helping push more borderline recruits to come to UCLA. He has been pushing around for undeclared recruits or borderline recruits on why UCLA is the perfect choice. He has said in an Interview with Bleacher Report:
“My pitch [to Bruins targets] is we’re building something that’s a revolution. You’ll be able to stand out at UCLA and make a difference. This is a program that’s been successful in past years but hasn’t reached its top potential, so we can be part of the group that comes in and changes everything. It feels like something special is building.”
A majority of UCLA’s class has been under-the-radar recruits and not the big flashy names we are used to hearing, but that’s just how Chip Kelly likes it. He will find people who will fit within his system, not the biggest name out there or biggest talent. Here is a look at the handful of players Chip will have to work with come the 2018-2019 College Football Season:
| Elijah Wade | DE | Arbor View (Las Vegas, NV) | 4-Star | Yes |
| Je’Vari Anderson | LB/DB | Laney College (Oakland, CA) | 3-Star | Yes |
| Matt Alaimo | TE | St. Joseph Regional (Montvale, NJ) | 3-Star | Yes |
| Baraka Beckett | OL | Palisades (Pacific Palisades, CA) | 3-Star | Yes |
| Kenny Churchwell | S | Mountain Pointe (Phoenix, AZ) | 3-Star | Yes |
| Jon Gaines | OT | Marquette University HS (Milwaukee, WI) | 3-Star | Yes |
| Elisha Guidry | DB | Vista Murrieta (Murrieta, CA) | 3-Star | Yes |
| Delon Hurt | WR | Servite (Anaheim, CA) | 3-Star | Yes |
| Martell Irby | RB | Morse (San Diego, CA) | 3-Star | Yes |
| Patrick Jolly, Jr. | ATH | Newsome (Lithia, FL) | 3-Star | Yes |
| Steven Mason | DE | Southwestern College (Chula Vista, CA) | 3-Star | Yes |
| David Priebe | TE | Midway (Waco, TX) | 3-Star | Yes |
| Tyree Thompson | LB | LA Valley College (Los Angeles, CA) | 3-Star | Yes |
| Rayshad Williams | DB | Whitehaven (Memphis, TN) | 3-Star | Yes |
A full list can be viewed on UCLA Diehards, but one of the biggest targets for UCLA has remained unsigned.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson, the 4-Star Dual Threat QB from Bishop Gorman, NV has not signed a National Letter of Intent (NLI) as of Noon on National Signing Day. While he is a hard commit for UCLA, he also has offers hanging in his face from numerous powerhouses, such as Alabama, Georgia, USC, and 2018 National Champions UCF. Chip Kelly is hoping to land this key play caller to help with the QB Situation that Kelly has to deal with as Josh Rosen, the party boy QB with a golden arm, has left to pursue his NFL dream. A place to keep track of this news on is the UCLA Football twitter, where the committees are being announced as soon as they happen. He is supposed to be signing at 2PM PST, but we will see how it works out.
Overall, Chip Kelly will have a fairly decent class to start off his Bruins Career in Westwood, and it will be interesting to see how is hurry up offense will work in the 2nd city that never sleeps, Los Angeles.
