UCLA Flips Three-Star Safety From Washington

Lavender revealed on X that his decision to flip his commitment to the Bruins stemmed from his relationship with Darlington and the rest of the UCLA staff.

• "After building a strong connection with [Khary Darlington] and spending valuable time with the UCLA coaching and personnel staff, I knew this was the right fit for me. I'm incredibly grateful and excited to announce my commitment to UCLA!" Lavender wrote.

Lavender had been committed to Washington since March, but UCLA extended him an offer on October 18. Shortly after, he ultimately decided that Westwood was the best place for him to continue his football career.

This is now the second commitment Skipper and his staff have been able to get since UCLA moved on from former head coach DeShaun Foster. After Foster was fired, the Bruins lost 12 commits in their 2026 class, so adding talent late in the cycle is crucial for the program's future success.

Lavender is a solid recruit. Rivals' industry rankings list him as the No. 1,403 overall player in the 2026 cycle, the No. 136 safety prospect, and the No. 110 player from California. While he likely won't make an immediate impact for UCLA, it's still a massive commitment for the Bruins.

What Skipper and Darlington have been able to do in the last three days in terms of recruiting is impressive, to say the least. While UCLA doesn't have a permanent head coach, they are still finding recruiting success, and it is a testament to how the staff has been able to turn the program around after Foster's firing.

The Bruins will continue to look to add more recruits as the 2026 cycle winds down. If they can keep flipping prospects from other programs, their 2026 class could look far better than anyone expected just a few weeks ago.