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Bruins Land in 3-Star DL's Top-4
Nov 8, 2024; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins defensive lineman Jay Toia (93) pressures Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Jackson Stratton (19) as he throws a pass in the second half at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Orem (Utah) three-star defensive lineman Lopeti Moala announced his top-four schools ahead of his commitment and UCLA is locked in alongside Stanford, BYU and Utah.

"I want to say thank you to those who believe in me and for the offers. This journey has been a blessing!" Moala said on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday.

It's becoming regular to see the Bruins in contention for many of the nation's top recruits for the class of 2026. However, DeShaun Foster and UCLA have been on a bit of a cold streak recently, losing the commitments of twin wide receivers Jaron and Kennan Pula and being ousted in battles for four-star quarterback Oscar Rios to Arizona and three-star defensive back Dylan Waters to Utah.

Nonetheless, UCLA has still landed 15 commitments in June alone and are slated to be close to more heading into July, including Moala. It's going to be a battle, though, as the BruinReportOnline staff reported earlier this week.

"Moala really emerged in the offseason and the two in-state schools want him badly," the staff wrote this week. "He visited UCLA in early May.  Stanford also got an official visit from him. But right now, it is looking like the in-state schools have the best chance."

Foster has been able to acquire recruits all trail from across the country, including his highest rated recruits, Johnnie Jones and Micah Smith, all the way from Florida. If it indeed is going to lean towards the hometown schools, Foster seems to be the only one capable of swaying Moala.

Here's how UteZone reporter Sammy Mora evaluated Moala ahead of his official visit with Utah in late may:

"Moala measures 6'4" and 250 pounds currently. He will need to put on some weight to be able to be effective at the next level. He has the ability to play either on the EDGE or as an interior lineman during his college career. Moala is rated an 87 by 247Sports which makes him a three-star prospect. His composite ranking is slightly lower at 0.8650. Moala is the 12th-best player in the state of Utah for the class of 2026 and the 96th-ranked defensive lineman in this class as well.

"Moala is long and disruptive. Sheds off tackles quickly and can get into the backfield and gets leverage easily on offensive tackles. He is a solid tackler. He is going to need to fine-tune his pass rush as sometimes he gets lost in the wash. Not the fastest guy on the field but will do everything he can to make a play."

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

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