UCLA Football: Mora Looks Ahead to the Recruiting Class of 2013

Riding the momentum of signing a consensus top 20 recruiting class for 2012, Bruins Head Coach Jim Mora, Jr., continues to make waves in recruiting circles across the nation.

In the recently released top 100 recruits in the 2013 class on Scout.com, 15 players list UCLA among their top schools with eight recruits showing interest from out of state.

Of the seven 2013 in-state players listed on Scout.com six have UCLA among their favorites. The top California recruit listed is five-star outside linebacker Michael Hutchings from high school football juggernaut De La Salle in Concord.

Hutchings, ranked No. 10, reports offers from 11 schools including Miami, Michigan, Oklahoma, USC, and Cal. He has attended camps at Cal and USC.

Ranked No. 18 on the list is Los Angeles Cathedral High School’s quarterback Hayden Rettig. Rettig has attended UCLA and USC’s camps. He reports offers from Vanderbilt, Boston College, Arizona, and Arizona State.

UCLA and USC have not offered him a scholarship to date.

Three top quarterbacks have interest in the Bruins. Time will tell if Mora will award the quarterback position an additional scholarship in the 2013 class after early commitment Eddie Printz.

Printz, 6’3”, 205 pounds, from Georgia committed on Jan. 16.

Printz and 2012 UCLA signee linebacker Kenny Orjioke both played together at Lassiter High School in Marietta.

After landing top quarterback recruits Devin Fuller and T.J. Millweard in the 2012 class, speculation would have it if Mora does not get another top quarterback of his choice he may pass on signing two next year.

Massive offensive tackle Jordan Poland, 6’8”, 335 pounds, from La Jolla, CA is the only in-state player that does not have a California school on his early favorite list. His top schools are Boise State, Arizona, Arizona State, and San Diego State.

Cornerback Dashon Hunt from Westlake Village, CA was the first verbal commitment for the UCLA’s 2013 class in August of 2011. He is ranked No. 58 on Rivals.com top 100 list.

If Hunt signs with UCLA next year, he will join two former teammates signed by Mora in the 2012 class- cornerback Ishmael Adams and Jordan Payton. Both Adams and Payton were listed as 4-star recruits by Scout.com.

The Bruins coaching staff was able to amass an incredible collection of talent in under two months time after taking over for departed Bruins’ Head Coach Rick Neuheisel in December.

Results on the field for Mora and his coaching staff coupled with an entire year of touching base with top players should only enhance the Bruins’ chances to land another top class in 2013.

Here’s a list of the 15 players with UCLA among their early favorites:

(Position/Player/Measurements/Rating/Location)

• OLB Michael Hutchings, 6’1”, 210 pounds, 5-star, Concord, CA
• QB Matthew Alviti, 6’0”, 168 pounds, 4-star, Park Ridge, IL
• QB Max Browne, 6’5”, 196 pounds, 4-star, Sammamish, WA
• QB Hayden Rettig, 6’3”, 205 pounds, 4-star, Los Angles, CA
• RB Keith Ford, 5’11”, 195 pounds, 4-star, Cypress, TX
• RB Deon Martin, 5’9”, 190 pounds, 4-star, Lancaster, CA
• WR Mike Williams, 6’4” 185 pounds, 4-star, Holly Hill, SC
• OT Riley Sorenson, 6’5”, 320 pounds, 4-star, Santa Margarita, CA
• OG John Lopez, 6’5”, 320 pounds, 4-star, Orange, CA
• DT Justin Manning, 6’2”, 275 pounds, 4-star, Dallas, TX
• DT Billy Price, 6’4” 265 pounds, 4-star, Youngstown, OH
• MLB Chans Cox, 6’3”, 220 pounds, 4-star, Lakeside, AZ
• SS Hatari Byrd, 6’2”, 200 pounds, 4-star, Fresno, CA
• SS Su’a Cravens, 6’1”, 205 pounds, 4-star, Murrieta, CA
• CB L.J. Moore, 6’1”, 175 pounds, 4-star, Fresno, CA

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