Oregon Ducks Football Recruiting: UCLA offers Nifae Lealao

The UCLA Bruins have offered 2014 strong-side defensive end Nifae Lealao, who stars at both offensive tackle and DE for Capital Christian in Sacramento, California. Lealao is rated by 247Sports as a four-star recruit, and he is their 48th best recruit in the 2014 class.

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The Oregon Ducks have offered Lealao, and he has already received major national interest and a high amount of early offers. Colorado, BYU, Oregon State, Utah, USC, and Stanford have all offered him. Lealao told 247 at the beginning of the month that Stanford is his early favorite.

247Sports has the 6’5″, 267 pound SDE at fifth at the position in the nation and third in the state of California. Nifae Lealao has received interest from LSU, Alabama, Nebraska, Notre Dame, and Wisconsin, as coaches are impressed with his size, athletic ability, and the versatility to play on both sides of the offensive line.

UCLA’s offer yesterday represents Lealao’s seventh Pac-12 offer and eighth major offer overall. Watch for recruiting activity from the top two teams in the country as well, as the interest from LSU and Alabama show his national reach. Lealao is one of the biggest prizes out west on defense, so nabbing him would be huge for the Ducks or his current favorites early on.

Last season, he finished with 92 tackles, five sacks, and a terrific 23 tackles for loss. Again, keep this guy on your recruiting radar going forward, because he is certainly a talent recruit and has been commanding the intentions of major programs around the nation. He saw Stanford’s upset victory over USC on an unofficial visit, which helps give the Cardinal a bigger early edge for the top 50 2014 recruit.

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter @SorianoJoe.