Will UCLA Win Battle For 4-Star DL?

Four-star Englewood (Colo.) Cherry Creek defensive lineman Tufanua Ionatana "TI" Umu-Cais is set to still make his pledge amongst the 2026 class, and the Bruins are right in the mix.

The No. 1 recruit out of Colorado is balancing offers from a top five of UCLA, Colorado, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Washington.

The Bruins recently bolstered their defensive line position group in the class of 2026 by landing four-star Carter Gooden and his three-star high school teammate Marcus Almada.

Including Gooden, who was recruited to play edge for the Bruins, UCLA has landed five recruits on the defensive line in the class of 2026 -- Gooden, Alamada, David Schwerzel (four-star), Yahya Gaad (three-star) and Anthony Jones.

Will the Bruins' sudden abundance at the position dissuade Umu-Cais from choosing Westwood? UCLA surely wouldn't mind another powerhouse in the trenches. Hopefully it doesn't.

Greg Biggins, national recruiting analyst for 247Sports, evaluated the highly-touted defensive lineman in March. Here's what he had to say:

"Umu-Cais or ‘TI’ as he’s called, is on the short list when talking about the top overall player in the state for the ’26 class. He projects as a classic nose guard who could also play the three-tech but is a sure fire interior lineman who can do some damage. He has the body/mass to take on a double team, hold his ground and still get a push up the field. He’s a naturally strong player who plays a power game. You can’t move him and he shows some pass rush ability as well. He has the length you want to see for an interior lineman as well and as he continues to improve athletically in terms of his short area quickness and burst, he’ll take his game to another level."

Washington has been a common foe in many of UCLA's recruiting battles for the class of 2026. Recruits like four-star running back Brian Bonner and four-star Schwerzel decided between the Bruins and Huskies when it came down to a decision.

Adding Umu-Cais to UCLA's already historically great 2026 recruiting class would do the class wonders, bolstering it even further. The Bruins have secured 23 commitments and sit at 21st in the nation on 247Sports' national team recruiting ranking.