It’s a new era in Westwood as Bob Chesney enters his first season as UCLA head football coach. There’s already a different feel around the Big Ten program on the recruiting trail.
The Bruins are starting to stack up commitments and another big one went public on Tuesday as Tustin (Calif.) four-star safety Khalil Terry told Rivals that he’s pledged to Chesney and Co.
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Terry decommitted from Notre Dame on Monday evening and is also a former Michigan State commit. After giving it some thought, the blue-chip defensive back has now decided to stay home at the next level.
With Terry’s commitment, UCLA jumped five spots in the Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings and now has the nation’s No. 22 class in the 2027 cycle. The Bruins leaped past Cal, Minnesota, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt and SMU.
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Terry is the No. 226 overall prospect and No. 20 safety in the cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 19 player in California.
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“He’s an outstanding player and will be a four-year starter at Tustin,” Rivals’ Greg Biggins writes of Terry. “He’s one of the top safeties in the region and brings some nice positional versatility to the position. Terry is one of those players who does a little of everything well and has one of the higher floors in the class.”
“His football instincts and feel are extremely high. He’s always around the football and plays at a different pace because of how quickly he can read, react and then trigger.”
Bruins add another key DB to the fold
With Terry in the boat, UCLA now has eight commits in its class. Of those eight, four are blue-chippers and three have pledged this month.
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Terry helps headline the haul alongside another touted in-state safety. Rancho Santa Margarita (Calif.) Leuzinger four-star safety Pole Moala committed last week and is the No. 204 recruit and No. 18 safety in the nation.
“The energy at UCLA is just different now,” Moala told Rivals. “They offered me a year ago but I wasn’t that high on them at the time. Everything is so different now and they really made me a high priority.”
Two days before Moala, UCLA landed Las Vegas Arbor View four-star tight end Zac Fares, the No. 17 TE in the cycle. The end of March brought a pledge from Carlsbad (N.M.) four-star linebacker Colton McKibben.
The up-to-date class, which now also ranks No. 9 in the Big Ten, can be seen here.
