UCLA Defensive Coordinator Soars in Recruiter Rankings

After landing three-star defensive lineman David Schwerzel, UCLA Bruins defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe leaped 18 spots in 247 Sports' 2026 football recruiter rankings to No. 34 overall as of Thursday.

Schwerzel is the No. 2 rated prospect out of the state of Washington and 37th in his position in the nation, according to 247Sports. Malloe was the main coach in charge of getting the 6-foot-4, 275-pound lineman to Westwood.

"Coach (Ikaika) Malloe has been my guy for a long time," Schwerzel told 247Sports. "He's a great coach and he develops his players.  We have a great relationship and I've always felt like a priority for him. He came up and did an in-home visit with me and my family and my family really trusts him."

Schwerzel is Malloe's fourth pledge for the class of 2026, along with three-stars Anthony Jones, Ramzak Fruen and Matthew Muasau.

"I loved Westwood and I thought it was beautiful and amazing," Schwerzel added. "No matter if it was the offensive coaches or the defensive coaches, they all showed they cared."

The Bruins landing this commitment was perceived to be a longshot, at least before he went on his visit to Westwood on June 14. Washington had a crystal ball prediction to land Schwerzel and UCLA won him over Stanford and other notable offerees like Cal, Michigan and Michigan State.

The O'Dea (Seattle) product only went on official visits with the UCLA, Washington and Stanford.

The Bruins have been closing tons of commitments as a result of their last two weekends of visits. Scwerzel is DeShaun Foster's 11th pledge in the month of June and 19th overall for the class fo 2026.

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."