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Jul 24, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; UCLA head coach DeShaun Foster speaks to the media during the Big Ten NCAA college football media days at Mandalay Bay Resort. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

What Losing Out on Four-Star Recruit Means for UCLA

Originally posted on UCLA Bruins on SI | By Greg Liodice | Last updated Jul 27, 2025 1:00 PM ET

Once again, another UCLA target is heading to the Rainy City.

It’s clear that the UCLA Bruins and the Washington Huskies have similar players in mind when looking to build their rosters, the difference is, it seems like Washington has done a better job at convincing them.

If you’re keeping score at home, out of the four recruits that both schools have simultaneously targeted, Washington has lured in three (Brian Bonner, Rahsjon Duncan, and now TI Umu-Cais), while UCLA has secured one (David Schwerzel).

Ironically, the one target that the Bruins locked in on Schwerzel, is actually from Seattle and went to high school at O’Dea; while Bonner and Duncan are both California kids.

Do these guys just want something different than what they grew up living in? Or is it just a coincidence?

Relationships and the Importance of Culture

Umu-Cais is a Colorado boy, and was the top recruit coming out of the Centennial State and was infatuated with Washington’s coaching staff.

“One of the things that (coach Jedd Fisch) told me was to choose person-over-placement,” he told Brandon Huffman of 247Sports after he announced his commitment. “Basically, what that means is, don’t choose the materialistic things over relationships right? Because relationships will take you the farthest in life. That meant a lot to me, especially with me being from a Polynesian culture.”

When you listen to Umu-Cais speak, he sounds beyond mature for someone in high school, and someone who has his priorities in check. That’s why no matter what UCLA may have told him to try to bring him on board, it may have been tough to beat what Fisch told him.

“Coach Kaufusi has been around a lot, so we hear a lot from different staff members and players that he’s coached. All we hear is great things from them about him… I love Coach Walters. He calls me every now and then, but whenever we talk, it’s from the heart. With making this decision, obviously it wasn’t easy, but Coach Walters made it a pretty easy choice.”

Umu-Cais is very big on his Polynesian roots, and if you speak to his heart, he’s going to give you his all, even when times get tough.

A Tough Loss, But Bruins Will Bounce Back

What this means for UCLA, is that it will sting for a little, but recruiting never stops.

The Bruins have gotten so close to so many other recruits, but they’ve also knocked it out of the park with others.

It would’ve been great to land Umu-Cais, but at the end of the day, it’s just one recruit.

UCLA still was able to pull four-star defensive linemen Carter Gooden and the aforementioned Schwerzel, as well as Anthony Jones and Yahya Gadd.

Not only that, the Bruins have the 21st-ranked class in 2026, so they’re hardly struggling. If Umu-Cais was the only big name to consider coming to Westwood, then it would’ve been concerning.

This is L.A. As good as Umu-Cais is, the show must always go on.

This article first appeared on UCLA Bruins on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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