The Hotline is delighted to supply West Coast followers with an everyday dive into the recruiting course of by means of the eyes and ears of Brandon Huffman, the Seattle-based nationwide recruiting editor for 247Sports.
He submitted the next report on June 13 …
Bruins on a bender
The years within the wilderness beneath Chip Kelly are over. UCLA is recruiting at — to cite former Bruins basketball coach Steve Lavin — a “magical level.”
Okay, that may be a little bit of hyperbole. However UCLA followers determined for a winner will fortunately accept a “normal recruiting approach.”
Kelly didn’t prefer to recruit. That was evident within the lessons signed through the former coach’s tenure and the Bruins’ reliance on the switch portal.
However former Bruins star operating again DeShaun Foster, who was named head coach within the winter of 2024 — after Kelly left to develop into Ohio State’s offensive coordinator — made it clear he needs to recruit highschool prospects.
And UCLA landed eight commitments within the final week, seven of them from the 2026 class.
4 of the ’26 pledges got here from California and two from the identical faculty: defensive backs Justin Lewis and Joshua Mensah, from Rancho Cucamonga Excessive College. Two extra are from Orange County in offensive lineman Cooper Javorsky and security Logan Hirou.
The larger eye-catchers have been the 2 four-star offensive linemen from Florida: Micah Smith and Johnnie Jones.
A hat tip goes to new offensive line coach Andy Kwon, who satisfied each the Sunshine State natives to commit, then landed Javorsky for good measure.
Hi there, Huskies
As a lot as Washington needs to win with native recruits (the Fence, as former Husky coach Steve Sarkisian as soon as described it), the present head man on Montlake, Jedd Fisch, needs a nationwide pulse.
Effectively, this week confirmed the rewards of that strategy as receiver Mason James, who grew up within the shadows of Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, picked the Huskies over the Sooners, Missouri and Arizona State.
The Top247 wideout was an enormous focus of UW receivers coach Kevin Cummings and Fisch, but it surely was truly high quality management coach Caleb Wilson who was the ace within the gap for the Huskies.
In addition they landed their third Las Vegas dedication within the class: Dre Pollard joined his Clark Excessive College teammate, Dominic Harris, and fellow Sin Metropolis native Gavin Day in pledging to Fisch’s program.
What’s extra, UW landed its fourth tight finish from the state of Oregon, Beaverton’s Sam Vyhlidal, since Fisch and tight ends coach Jordan Paopao arrived on Montlake.
Vyhlidal follows 2025 signees Baron Naone and Austin Simmons and 2024 signee Charlie Crowell to make the transfer from Oregon to Washington.
And whereas he hasn’t dedicated, five-star edge rusher Tristian Givens, who’s from Georgia, visited final weekend and has UW in his high three with Tennessee and Texas A&M.
The explanation the Huskies are on the quick record?
New director of recruiting Marcus Griffin, who constructed a rapport with Givens when he labored for Cal. His transfer to Seattle put Washington squarely within the combine.
Griffin was additionally key in Washington flipping composite five-star Kodi Greene from Oregon, however Greene was a Seattle native.
If Washington lands Givens, then Griffin may have earned his weight in gold.
A Metropolis of Angels duel for Hawaii’s high recruit
Both UCLA or USC goes to land the No. 1 recruit in Hawaii, to the extent the definition matches.
Whereas Talanoa Ili is Hawaii’s high prospect — and the No. 3-rated linebacker within the nation — he’s nonetheless theoretically a Southern California product: Ili spent his first three years at Orange Lutheran within the vaunted Trinity League.
He moved to Hawaii to play his senior 12 months at state energy Kahuku. But when Ili publicizes his determination on Sunday, he’ll do it in his native Southern California.
It should both be the Bruins or the Trojans. And all the thrill is pointing in the direction of USC.
All eyes on Ryder Lyons
This isn’t solely the go to Oregon has been ready for, but in addition the primary go to for the No. 1 recruit in California: The Geese are internet hosting five-star quarterback Ryder Lyons, the Folsom, California star who canceled his journey to USC final week.
To make clear, as a result of there’s a logjam of prospects in Eugene: Oregon additionally provided Boise State commit Bryson Beaver, who subsequently de-committed from the Broncos.
In reality, Beaver is Oregon’s chief 2026 goal.
That’s as a result of the much-discussed plan for Lyons to enroll in 2027, after serving a one-year LDS church mission, continues to be within the works. Though Oregon will get the primary go to from Lyons, don’t anticipate a call imminently.
He’s scheduled to see Brigham Younger subsequent weekend, the prospect for gamers to get on campus through the crucial month of June.
Oregon has skilled a curler coaster spring on the recruiting path with a number of de-commitments: Jonas Williams flipping from the Geese to USC, then shedding out on Jared Curtis.
However all of the gnashing of the tooth would finish if the Geese land Lyons. Corralling a dedication from four-star receiver Messiah Hampton on Friday definitely didn’t damage.
