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Where UCLA's Recruiting Class Ranks After 2026 Recommitment
Oct 4, 2025; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins interim head coach Tim Skipper (left) and new offensive coordinator Jerry Neuheisel (right) on the sideline during second half against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

The UCLA Bruins (3-5, 3-2 Big Ten) had a once promising season collapse in the matter of three weeks after starting the season 0-3.

Soon after firing second-year coach DeShaun Foster, a 2026 recruiting class that reached heights of the top 15 class in the nation completely dismantled. Thirteen of the Bruins' 23 pledges announced their decommitments within a week of Foster being dismissed. One of whom was three-star St. John Bosco linebacker Matthew Muasau, who announced his re-commitment to the Bruins on Friday.

"After speaking with General Manager Khary Darlington, the coaches and the personnel staff, I’m excited about the direction for the program - I’m fully re-committing to UCLA. This program has always been home," Muasau said in an X (Twitter) post.

After the Bruins landed two new pledges, three-star offensive tackle Travis Robertson and defensive back CJ Lavender, who flipped from Bowling Green and Washington respectively, their 2026 recruiting class improved from No. 81 to No. 77 on 247Sports' national recruiting rankings.

UCLA's 2026 Recruiting Class Ranking

Following Musasau's reaffirmed commitment, the class jumped up five more spots to No. 72.

Greg Biggins, national recruiting analyst for 247Sports, evaluated Muasau upon his first commitment to Westwood. Here's what he had to say:

  • "Muasau played most of his junior season with a meniscus issue that required surgery at the end of the season. When healthy, he's a classic inside linebacker who can get downhill and loves to hit. He does a nice job filling gaps and reading angles and is a very good open field tackler. He's just a good not great athlete but has a non-stop motor and makes a lot of plays on effort and instincts and should be a solid player at the next level."

Tim Skipper Reacts to Recruiting Reset

Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Although he's not able to speak on specific recruits, UCLA interim head coach Tim Skipper reacted to Robertson's commitment a few weeks back:

  • "We're full speed ahead, we're working," Skipper said. "I mean, we're grinding over here. We're not letting anything go to waste or not giving effort in one area or another. It's full speed ahead in everything that we're doing.
  • "We have a great support staff. I could name a million people, but that teamwork that's happening in there and getting kids to be at games and things like that, and to visit and see UCLA and see all the wonderful things that we have here, and just give them ways of why you should be here. 'You're at the Rose Bowl, what a beautiful day. Who wouldn't want to be here?' That type of thing. And then to see our style of play and the efforts we do on the field. I think it's a win-win for a lot of the guys that we're recruiting."

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

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