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UCLA Football Recruiting 2017: 5 must-have recruits for Bruins

By Connor Muldowney

October 22, 2016; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Jim Mora leads players onto the field against the Utah Utes before the first half at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
October 22, 2016; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Jim Mora leads players onto the field against the Utah Utes before the first half at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 8, 2016; Tempe, AZ, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Jim Mora against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Sun Devil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

With National Signing Day approaching, who are the top UCLA football recruiting targets left on the board?

Jim Mora Jr. would like to forget the 2016 season ever happened. The UCLA head coach had his worst season yet, finishing just 4-8 and missing out on a bowl for the first time in his college career. It was a tough season to suffer through, but the Bruins are already looking toward 2017 and putting together a decent recruiting class will help.

Not many programs can go 4-8 and still recruit well, but Mora Jr. has been able to sell his brand to some of the top prospects in the country, currently owning the No. 18 overall class and No. 3 in the Pac-12, according to 247Sports.

While his 2017 class is almost full, there are some big names left on the board for the Bruins and Mora Jr. and National Signing Day is quickly approaching. Fighting off in-state rival USC has been a common theme for UCLA, and it will continue to be such for this year’s signing day.

Let’s take a look at five must-have recruits for the Bruins, although some might be long-shots.

All recruiting rankings reflect the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

5. Stephan Zabie, 4-star OT (Austin, Texas)

Sometimes after a disappointing season, coaches are sent scrambling to find backup plans to the primary targets at the last minute. While Stephan Zabie does not fit the typical description of a backup plan, the four-star offensive tackle received a late offer from the Bruins on Jan. 18 and he took an official visit just two days later.

Left tackle Conor McDermott is departing this offseason and the Bruins will be forced to replace him before fall camp. While there are guys already on the roster and committed in the 2017 class who could fill in, Zabie would definitely be a name to keep an eye on if he did commit.

Zabie took an official visit to Texas on Jan. 26 and then Ole Miss just one day later, sewing up his travel plans before National Signing Day. While UCLA seems to be surging for him, he looks to be favoring Texas heading into the final stretch and Ole Miss is the third option.

The four-star tackle is ranked the No. 246 recruit in the class and the No. 24 offensive tackle.

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