Four-Star Offensive Lineman Predicted to Sign with UCLA

Back on May 22, Steve Wiltfong of On3 logged a prediction for interior offensive lineman, and four-star recruit Micah Smith to land at UCLA.

Smith, who’s a 2026 recruit, announced that he’s making his commitment on June 7th, choosing between UCLA, Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio State, and Illinois.

Head coach DeShaun Foster made it a point to recruit in-state, but bringing on Smith would open a whole new opportunity for the Bruins program.

Back in November of 2024, Smith spoke to Tracy McDannald of Rivals and explained that the relationship that Foster built with his family made a world of a difference. 

“Here’s why UCLA stands out to me, Coach Foster has done a good job building a relationship with my parents and keeping them in the know about all things UCLA and their plan for developing me,” Smith said.

Even though he’s a 2026 prospect, building this program through the trenches is critical.

UCLA had one of the worst offensive lines in the country. Not only did the run game suffer, as T.J. Harden’s production took a steep decline before transferring to SMU, but there was zero time for the quarterback to get the ball out. 

It was also one of the worst teams in the nation on the line, allowing nearly three sacks per game. 

Since the end of the season, the offensive line has changed through the transfer portal. While players like Garrett DiGiorgio, Sam Yoon and Reuben Unije are sticking around (DiGiorgio and Unije are battling for the starting right tackle position), the Bruins added linemen Julian Armella from Florida State and Courtland Ford from Kentucky.

Additionally, with the Bruins adding quarterback Nico Iamaleava, there’s extra incentive to protect their prized investment. It was reported that Iamaleava will be receiving $1.5 million in his NIL deal, and if the offensive line isn’t protecting him, then that investment goes to waste.

That’s what makes the pursuit of Smith so important. 

Not only does he have the needed attributes to become successful, like raw power and tremendous footwork, but he could also become a foundational piece to the new-look line in Westwood.

Should he choose to sign on with UCLA, it boosts the Bruins’ 2026 class ranking, gives even more recruiting power to Foster, and opens up the pipeline from Florida, a mostly untapped market for Foster.

If Wiltfong’s prediction stands true, it would be a massive get for the Bruins, but let’s stay tuned until June 7th for the big announcement.