UCLA's 2026 Class Soars Into Top-10 Following Schwerzel Pledge

Following three-star defensive end David Schwerzel's commitment to UCLA on Thursday, the Bruins' 2026 recruiting class surged up the charts on Rivals and 247Sports' team recruiting class rankings.

After UCLA landed three-star long-snapper Giancarlo Cereghino on Wednesday, it ranked 13th on Rivals' 2026 recruiting class rankings and 11th on 247Sports' list. The Schwerzel pledge boosted the Bruins up three spots on both sites. They now rank No. 10 overall on Rivals and No. 9 overall on 247Sports, which actually rates the Seattle native a four-star based on their ratings.

The last time UCLA finished with a top-10 recruiting class on either site was over a decade ago, when they were ranked eighth on Rivals and seventh on 247Sports in 2013 under Jim Mora. The 2013 class was highlighted by safety Tahaan Goodman and defensive back Priest Willis. Eighteen of Mora's 25 commitments in 2013 were four-stars.

Foster and his staff have landed six four-stars so far, 19 total, and 11 just in the month of June following back-to-back huge visit weekends.

Schwerzel chose the Bruins over Washington and Stanford despite both Rivals and 247Sports predicting the defensive end would end up with the Huskies. Foster has landed plenty of recruits from outside of California, including two four-star offensive lineman from Florida, Micah Smith and Johnnie Jones Jr.

It's as a result of the second-year coach's philosophy to build real relationships with players coast to coast, and it's paying off seemingly after every official visit.

National recruiting analyst for 247Sports, Greg Biggins, evaluated Schwerzel in early May. Here's what he had to say about the newest Bruin:

"Schwerzel is one of the top defensive lineman out West and brings a lot of positional versatility to the table. We could see him playing in any scheme and moving around and playing some edge, three-tech or as a traditional tackle depending on the front. He has a big, strong 6-3.5, 265 pound frame and could easily carry 290 pounds without losing any of his athleticism. He has length, strong hands and plays with good pad level. He’s a tough kid who can play the run and offers some pass rush ability. He’s a high motor defender who pursues well to the football and run down plays from behind. He has the multi-sport background we like and along with football, also plays hoops and throws the shot in track. He has an NFL ceiling if he reaches his potential and should be a multi-year starter at the next level."