Sep 28, 2024; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach DeShaun Foster during the second quarter against the Oregon Ducks at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Report: Where UCLA Stands Amongst Conference in '26 Recruiting

Originally posted on UCLA Bruins on SI
By Aidan Champion | Last updated May 11, 2025 7:00 AM ET

UCLA football did great work with the transfer portal this offseason, but that success has not yet translated to recruiting under DeShaun Foster.

The Bruins still have just four commits from the class of 2026 and, most likely as a result of adding the Iamaleava brothers, lost out on one of their top targets, local four-star Brady Smigiel, one of the best quarterbacks in the class. He committed to Michigan last month.

It was a consequence UCLA probably felt was worth suffering, as Nico Iamaleava was the top player in the portal and is expected to be the savior of a program that has lost prominence in recent years, now looking to gain some traction in a much tougher conference.

Fox Sports' Michael Cohen placed UCLA 15th in his ranking of Big Ten 2026 recruiting classes. Its bitter rival, USC, on the other hand, stood above all others at No. 1.

"Head coach DeShaun Foster scored the biggest recruiting victory of his relatively brief tenure when former five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava transferred from Tennessee to UCLA earlier this spring," Cohen wrote. "A native of Long Beach, California, where he starred for Warren High School, Iamaleava gives Foster a major recruiting piece around which he can pitch additional in-state prospects.

"And while the four players in Smith’s 2026 recruiting class were pledged to the Bruins before Iamaleava came into the fold, it’s worth noting that all of them are wide receivers rated among the top 70 players in the country at their position: Jonah Smith (No. 343 overall, No. 55 WR), Jaron Pula (No. 387 overall, No. 61 WR), Kenneth Moore III (No. 422 overall, No. 67 WR) and Kennan Pula (No. 425 overall, No. 68 WR).

"As long as Iamaleava plays well — and sticks around for more than one season — the future on that side of the ball is brightening for first-year offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri."

Foster has faith that recruiting will pick up. He made that clear when he spoke on the Dec. 4 National Signing Day.

"Recruiting is going to come," Foster said. "This is a great university. You got to want to come here. So, we just have to make it visible to guys and just let them know, like, coming around here, being around this program, and you will want to jump in."