Eric the Red Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 Eight SoCal players swell recruiting class BY BRIAN DOHN, Staff Writer Inside SOCAL Article Last Updated:03/10/2007 09:31:34 PM PST Many of the high school juniors swore nothing was pre-planned, but by the time each left campus, UCLA coach Karl Dorrell had an unprecedented haul of recruits. Eight players, all from Southern California, gave non-binding oral commitments to be part of the Bruins' 2008 recruiting class during a high-octane day of unofficial visits to the Westwood campus by some of the most talented players around. The group is led by defensive back Rahim Moore of Dorsey of Los Angeles, Compton defensive end Datone Jones, Colton defensive end Damien Holmes and Crespi of Encino safety E.J. Woods. "It really wasn't planned," Holmes said. "I went there just wanting to learn more about UCLA. They sold everything to me. (The coaches) told us all they would love for us to commit, but there really wasn't that much pressure. People were just sold on it." Also saying they would commit were Dorsey running back Jonathan Franklin, Culver City safety/receiver Antwon Moutra and Leuzinger of Lawndale linebacker Uona Kavienga. The eighth player to commit was Crenshaw receiver Kemonte Bateman, but his is not considered as strong as the other seven because of extenuating circumstances. Bateman, a dynamic player, received a verbal scholarship offer from UCLA, but is not expected to receiver a written offer for a while because he must clear significant academic hurdles to be admitted to UCLA, sources said. "Let's just say he has a lot of work to do," a source said. NCAA rules prohibit coaches from commenting about recruits until a binding signed national letter of intent is received, and signing day for these recruits is 11 months away. The players gave kudos to Bruins defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker and recently hired receivers coach Eric Scott, who has strong ties to the inner city, for the recruiting haul. They said Bruins running backs coach Dino Babers, who is also the recruiting coordinator, also had a major impact on the day. "(The coaches) were talking, so I felt it," Franklin said. "I was so comfortable there. It was my place. If there's a chance I don't make it to the NFL, by me going to that school, I'm going to be successful in life. I'm going to have a good job, make good money, take care of my family. It balances out." Holmes said the day was pretty typical of an unofficial visit. The group of players took a tour, were presented with academic information, met collectively with Dorrell and individually with position coaches. "It just kind of happened," said Holmes, who added he has offers from Nebraska, Duke, Mississippi. "It wasn't like, `Hey, lets go in there together.' I can't speak for the other guys, but for me it was, `OK, let's do it.' But I guess we all felt the same way." Moore, who had offers from Nebraska, USC, Auburn and Oregon, made 122 tackles and seven interceptions as a junior. He is listed by several recruiting services as the top defensive back in Southern California. Woods said he played Pop Warner football with Moore, Franklin and Jones, and they often talked about playing college football together. "I like that (UCLA's coaches) sell academics before anything, and they guarantee a degree," said Woods, who had 24 tackles five sacks last season. "They wanted a student-athlete. Other schools just wanted an athlete, and they didn't even ask what my grades were. "I was going to wait it out because I'm just a junior, and Ohio State and Miami started showing me interest, but UCLA was the first school to recruit me. They offered me when I was a sophomore." The commitments capped a week full of action for the football program, which received non-binding oral commitments from cornerback Aaron Hester of Compton Dominguez, receiver Jerry Johnson of Venice and defensive back Anthony Dye of Corona Santiago. brian.dohn@dailynews.com Quote Link to comment
BIGREDIOWAN Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 Man I wish we could pull more people out of the West Coast, Texas and deep south then we do.......... Quote Link to comment
Eric the Red Posted March 13, 2007 Author Share Posted March 13, 2007 Mar. 12 Damien Holmes, DE Colton, CA Colton High School Scouts Grade: 45 Bruins' big day of commitments "just happened" Damien Holmes was one of the eight Southern California juniors who verbally committed to head coach Karl Dorrell and UCLA over the weekend during what the Los Angeles Daily News is calling "an unprecedented haul of recruits." However, according to several of the 2008 prospects, the event wasn't pre-arranged. Holmes said, "It just kind of happened. It wasn't like, 'Hey lets go in there together.'" He added, "It really wasn't planned. I went there just wanting to learn more about UCLA. They sold everything to me. (The coaches) told us all they would love for us to commit, but there really wasn't that much pressure. People were just sold on it." Holmes Update Archive Mar. 12 E.J. Woods, S Encino, CA Crespi Carmelite High School Scouts Grade: 40 Studious 2008 safety picks UCLA E.J. Woods gave the Bruins a commitment during his unofficial visit this Saturday on the same day that seven other in-state juniors pledged to call the Rose Bowl home, according to the Los Angeles Daily News. He said, "I like that (UCLA's coaches) sell academics before anything, and they guarantee a degree. They wanted a student-athlete. Other programs just want an athlete and didn't even ask what my grades were." The safety who made 26 tackles and five sacks as a junior said he was also drawing interest from Ohio State and Miami-FL. Woods Update Archive Mar. 12 Rahim Moore, CB Los Angeles, CA Dorsey High School Scouts Grade: 45 Highly touted '08 DB to the Bruins Rahim Moore, who was the first 2008 class prospect to receive a scholarship offer from the program, gave UCLA a verbal commitment on Saturday with seven other Southern California recruits, The Daily Bruin reports. He was also being pursued by schools such as USC, Michigan, Oregon, and Auburn. Moore said, "They've been showing me the love really since last June. And I know that coaching staff real well and they're going to be good for me for a long time. When (Eric Scott) got hired I kind of knew then." Scott, formerly an assistant coach at Crenshaw High School in Los Angeles for seven years, is now the wide receivers coach at UCLA credited with opening this newfound pipeline. Moore Update Archive Mar. 12 Datone Jones, DE Compton, CA Compton High School Scouts Grade: 40 '08 defensive lineman to UCLA Datone Jones was one of the eight in-state juniors to give the Bruins a verbal commitment during Saturday's unofficial visit, according to the Los Angeles Daily News. Jones Update Archive Mar. 12 Johnathan Franklin, RB Los Angeles, CA Dorsey High School Scouts Grade: 40 2008 RB to stay in LA Johnathan Franklin decided to commit to the hometown UCLA Bruins over the weekend with seven other fellow Southern California juniors, the Los Angeles Daily News reports. He said, "I was comfortable there. If there's a chance I don't make it to the NFL, by me going to that school, I'm going to be successful in life. I'm going to have a good job, make good money, take care of my family. It balances out." Franklin Update Archive Mar. 12 Antwon Moutra, WR Culver City, CA Culver City High School Scouts Grade: 78 UCLA gains '08 wide receiver / defensive back Antwon Moutra committed to the Bruins during an unofficial visit this Saturday along with seven other 2008's, according to the Los Angeles Daily News. Moutra Update Archive Mar. 12 Kemonte Bateman, WR Los Angeles, CA Crenshaw High School Scouts Grade: 45 '08 WR Bateman commits to "verbal" offer Kemonte Bateman, one of the eight juniors from the Southern California area to commit to UCLA on Saturday, has only received a verbal offer from the Bruins, the Los Angeles Daily News reports. At this point in time, he "must clear significant academic hurdles" to gain admittance to UCLA and a source close to the situation added, "Lets just say he has a lot of work do to." Bateman is expected to be one of the more highly recruited wide receivers in the 2008 class. Bateman Update Archive Mar. 12 Uona Kaveinga, ILB Lawndale, CA Leuzinger High School Scouts Grade: 40 UCLA has an '08 inside linebacker onboard Uona Kaveinga, a 6'0" 230-pound ILB, committed to the Bruins on Saturday along with seven other juniors, all from the Southern California area, according to the Los Angeles Daily News reports. Kaveinga Update Archive Mar. 12 Simmons Update Archive Mar. 12 Jerry Johnson, WR Venice, CA Venice High School Scouts Grade: 40 2008 WR to the Bruins Jerry Johnson, a 6'3" 187-pound receiver from Venice (Calif.) committed to UCLA last Friday, the Los Angeles Daily News reports. Quote Link to comment
Hunter94 Posted March 14, 2007 Share Posted March 14, 2007 yep, good sh#t happens in california all the time. Quote Link to comment
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