2026 UCLA Recruit Position Roundup: Defensive Line

Welcome to a new series on UCLA Bruins on SI. The 2026 UCLA Recruit Position Roundup is going to detail the Bruins' commits and what national recruiting analysts are saying about them. For the second edition of the series, we're continuing with a formidable UCLA position group of 2026's recruiting class -- defensive line.

Bruins defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe jumped up 17 spots to No. 35 on 247Sports' national recruiter rankings after UCLA's latest commit, four-star defensive end David Schwerzel. Malloe is responsible for four of the Bruins' 19 total commits, two of them on the defensive line.

With that being said, let's take a look at UCLA's three defensive line commits and what national recruiting analysts had to say about them.

David Schwerzel, 3-Star DL, O'Dea (Seattle, Washington)

Schwerzel has a 247Sports four-star rating and a 3-star composite rating, placing him at the top of UCLA's defensive line class. He committed to the Bruins on June 19 after receiving offers from and taking official visits to Washington and Stanford.

He is the No. 2 prospect in the state of Washington. His pledge to UCLA came as a surprise to many, as it was almost certain he'd stay home and play for the Huskies. Nonetheless, the Bruins were able to snag him and add to their stacked 2026 class.

Here's what 247Sports national recruiting analyst Greg Biggins had to say about Schwerzel in his evaluation:

"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."

Anthony Jones, 3-Star DL, Crean Lutheran (Irvine, Calif.)

Jones was one of UCLA's early pledges in its extended streak of commits dating back to late May. Jones committed to the Bruins on May 15 and had offers from the likes of Arizona State, Auburn and Arkansas.

The 6-foot-4.5, 285 pound prospect went on his official visit to Westwood on June 6, where he further confirmed he made the correct choice.

Biggins took on Jones' evaluation for 247Sports, here's what he had to say:

"Jones’ body has taken a radical transformation over the last year but that might not be a bad thing. He put on 40 pounds since last Spring and we now see him more as an interior defensive lineman than an outside edge rusher. He was a solid edge rusher who won with power and length but wasn’t especially twitchy. As a defensive tackle or three-tech however, he should have a quickness advantage of opposing guards and should be able to overwhelm centers with his size and raw power. He has an 80+ wingspan, has always been good with his hands and we’ve always liked his compete level. One of his coaches told us he has NFL upside as an offensive tackle although he hasn’t played the position nearly as much as defensive line. We do like the positional versatility and it will be interesting to watch his continued physical development but the long term potential is still there to play on Sunday’s."

Yahya Gaad, 3-Star DL, South Gibson (Medina, Tennessee)

UCLA's third and final commitment at the position (so far) is Yahya Gaad, 6-foot-5, 260 pound lineman out of Tennessee. Gaad, since committing to the Bruins on May 17, has been one of UCLA's most active recruits on social media along with four-star offensive lineman Micah Smith.

Gaad is fully bought in to the culture DeShaun Foster is cultivating in Westwood.

The dynamic defensive lineman had offers from Florida State, Arizona and Georgia along with UCLA just to name a few. He is a great addition to Malloe's defense for years to come.