Almost anytime a coach leaves, recruits scatter, or at least evaluate their options.
Though in theory players commit to a school, most opt for another bite of the apple, or at least an opportunity to look over the cart.
After the Bruins fired DeShaun Foster on Sunday, seven recruits decommitted, including four-star offensive tackle Johnnie Jones.
Currently the UCLA class ranks No 52 in the country in the 247 Sports Composite with 16 commitments,, two four-stars, 14 three-stars, so there's not a lot of value for the Ducks, who rank No. 7 in the country with 17 commitments, four five-stars, 11 four-stars.
The difference in quality goes a long way toward explaining why Foster was fired, particularly because there are a dozen recruits a three wood and a wedge from the UCLA campus, a hundred or more within a hundred miles.
Southern California is a recruiting gold mine, particularly for quarterbacks, receivers, defensive backs and running backs, fast, skilled athletes. Nick Saban would thrive there. Terry Donahue did.
From Venice, Florida, Jones is 6-6, 305, the No. 122 prospect and No. 9 offensive tackle in the country. The Ducks stand at three commitments on the offensive line, five-star offensive tackle Immanuel Iheanacho, who just took a recruiting trip to LSU, Tommy Tofi from the Bay Area, and Koloi Keli from Farrington High in Honolulu.
The Ducks need some numbers on the o-line; they're starting four seniors and a draft-eligible junior there in 2025, though they signed a strong recruiting class last December that included Douglas Utu and Ziyare Addison. Ideally a program wants to sign four to five o-line prospects every year.
Relying on the portal is dicey. Demand is fierce and you only get them for a year or two. It's tough to build cohesion; many come with bad habits. The ideal way to grow and train an offensive line remains bringing them in as freshmen, get them in the weight room and the nutrition program for 18 months and have them taking snaps as soon as they lose the baby fat and improve their bend.
Most big high school offensive linemen play too high.
Jones final five included the Bruins, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, Colorado, Miami and North Carolina before he committed on June 9. He's got ideal tackle size and decent feet. Missouri is bidding for him as well.
First Game, 42-12 Dub!! On to the Next 1@john_p34 @jleee74 @VeniceIndianFB @VeniceRecruit10 pic.twitter.com/jTyeo3TEfa
— Johnnie “DJ” Jones 4🌟 (@johnnie_jones6) August 19, 2025
Recruiting's been quiet lately because most of the work is going on behind the scenes. The Ducks don't have a big visit weekend planned until the USC game on November 22.
Ironically, there are a couple of former Ducks on the UCLA roster, defensive end Anthony Jones and Roderick Pleasant. Jones is a redshirt junior who has bounced around. Pleasant is one of the fastest young sprinters in the nation, a defensive back.
Another tackle to keep an eye on is 6-5, 330 Colorado sophomore Jordan Seaton. The Deion Sanders experiment is losing steam after a 1-2 start, though the Buffs are a two-touchdown favorite at home against Mountain West foe Wyoming.
Sanders is always being rumored for jobs, and Colorado's season could get ugly in a hurry with upcoming games against BYU, TCU, Iowa State and Utah, teams that have started the year 11-0. As the losses mount with Coach Prime juggling three quarterbacks, Seaton might hit the market, a five-star recruit in 2024.
Oregon's last two left tackles are making $32 million in the NFL.
Kaidon Salter gets the TD love but look at big LT #77 Jordan Seaton 👀 pic.twitter.com/3LcnvEw1S0
— Ray G (@RayGQue) August 30, 2025