Spaulding Roundup: Recruiting Momentum and Senior Bowl Updates

Don't blink...

Our last Spaulding Roundup was 2 days ago, but the way recruiting is rolling along right now for the Bruins, that is ages ago.  Since then, the Bruin recruiting train has been picking up speed with a lot of big news yesterday.  Coach Mora and the U.C.L.A. staff got two commitments on Tuesday: one from 4* OL Kolton Miller (say it, everyone...Line Wins Games!) and the other from 3* QB Aaron Sharp who fulfills the class's crucial QB spot.  Both Miller and Sharp were on campus last weekend to visit and that convinced them that Westwood was the right place for them.

Knowing that experience on campus has been so effective and impressive to our recruits, it is really encouraging to see who is coming to Westwood in the next two weeks.  First, 4* WR/DB Budda Baker who recently decommited from Oregon and is choosing between UW and the Bruins is making a visit to Westwood this weekend.  Then yesterday, 4* OL recruit Demetrius Knox who is currently committed to Ohio State announced he will visit (and thanks for the BN plug, guys!) U.C.L.A. on the enormously huge recruiting weekend of Jan 31.  One other huge name who might appear on that visit list is 5* LB Rashaan Evans, who met with both Coach Ulbrich and Coach Mora in an in-home visit yesterday.  The Bruins pitched Evans as the next Anthony Barr but also threw in some offensive sets designed specifically for him.  Keep a close eye on this one, Bruins.  Evans is planning an unofficial visit on the final weekend, meaning he's paying for the trip himself.  That suggests a lot of interest,  If he does make the trip, then look out.

The tentative list of high profile stars (though one or two of those names will likely drop off) who are coming to Westwood on that final weekend is gaudy and the Bruins are in the enviable position of having the last word in the recruiting war before signing day the following Wednesday.  It looks like someone might have to get some coffee brewing.

The other current news for our Bruin football program focuses on practices for the Senior Bowl in Mobile Alabama where LB Jordan Zumwalt and WR Shaquelle Evans are making waves.  And in the case of Zumwalt, it's more like a tsunami.  The morons at ESPN who were blinded by hatred of UCLA or ignorant of west coast football or stupid and petty enough to "overlook" Anthony Barr for their All-American list and excluded Zumwalt from their All-Bowl team for being too physical are having their eyes forcibly opened by the Bruins' performances so far in Mobile.  From noted hater ignoramus, stupid petty guy Ted Miller:

It appears that former UCLA LB Jordan Zumwalt is turning heads, and this little tidbit made me smile.
Throughout, Zumwalt, 6-foot-4, 231, played with nonstop intensity, so much so that coaches politely asked him to dial it down a bit. Zumwalt presented himself as second-round material, something which could come to fruition if the competitive linebacker turns in good workouts at the NFL Scouting Combine.

I'm shocked to hear Zumwalt's dial goes up to 11.

Hello, Ted.  Welcome to reality.

A writer from Philly.com (so no suprise this comes as a surprise to him), where they are doing a great job with daily coverage, was also impressed by the physical play of Shaq Evans

Another receiver that has caught my eye is Shaq Evans of UCLA. A corner came up to press Evans, and Evans just put him on the ground. Very physical play. He also showed good long speed on a deep ball, and he has decent size at 6'1, 210.

Unfortunately, Shaq's receiving skills aren't getting the attention they deserve due to the struggles of the North team's QB's so far, but scouts are smart and will pick up on his great combo of size and speed and blocking skills.

Bruin#1 highlighted an awesome collection of tweets yesterday from a variety of sources who are watching the practices, all of whom had high praise for the pair of Bruins.  #BruinRevolution

Stay tuned for more updates on Bruin football.