Future Bruins: A look at the potential QB recruits of 2021

We’re looking towards the future. The future class of UCLA Bruins in the class of 2021 recruiting cycle. A multi-part series to unfold behind it, we’re starting this off with a look at the potential next quarterbacks in line for UCLA as we sift through those offered scholarships and who the recruiting experts nationally believe could land with UCLA.

Quarterbacks

Pro-Style QB: Miller Moss

Moss infamously had an incredible graphic made up for him and he followed that up with naming UCLA in his top four schools that included Alabama, USC and LSU.

He’d be a huge get not only because his of ability but to take him away from the blue-bloods in his final four, especially that of USC. He stands at 6’2, 197 pounds from Bishop Alemany High School and is ranked as the nation’s fifth-best pro-style QB in 247Sports consensus. Drawing comparisons of Drew Brees, Moss is a member of the Elite 11 and has an extremely level head for such a high-profile QB. He can sling it to all levels of the field and has accuracy for days.

He’s one to watch as his recruiting unfolds as he’s arguably the best prospect available with UCLA in his final four.

Pro-Style QB: Jake Garcia

Garcia is the nation’s fourth-best pro-style QB on 247Sports composite but has been a long-time USC commit since he committed in September of 2019. USC is famous for losing out on in-state big-name QB recruits as of late so don’t rule Garcia out if Moss were to decide not to come to UCLA.

He’s got a big arm and a terrific throwing motion and he’s played at Long Beach Poly as well as La Habra, bringing with him prestigious program playing experience. He’s probably only in play if UCLA doesn’t have any other QB commits or if USC brings in any more quarterbacks.

Pro-Style QB: Shedeur Sanders

Sanders is an interesting prospect to look into as he stands at 6’2, 198 and will be playing at Trinity Christian School in Cedar Hill, Texas in his senior season after leading them to their third state championship in a row. He has over 20 offers from all sorts of big-name programs and is the son of Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders. He’s ripped through defenses the past three seasons, throwing 123 touchdowns to just 19 interceptions and 8,796 passing yards since 2017.

He hasn’t released any sort of ‘top five’ or rankings of his schools of interest and you can bet those who do see their names on his finalists list will put even more pressure on him to commit. His arm strength and family pedigree make him one of the most polarizing recruits in the 2021 class.

Pro-Style QB: Christian Veilleux

Veilleux hails from Maryland and The Bullis School, widely seen as a large Penn State lock. He’s the 15th-best pro-style QB in the class according to the Composite and has over 20 offers as well. Originally from Canada, he doesn’t have UCLA in his final four as those have seem to head to Clemson, Duke, Penn State and Tennessee. UCLA has still offered him a scholarship but there’s little hope of him coming out west.

Dual-Threat QB: Kaidon Salter

The 247Sports Composite has Salter as the 10th-best dual-threat QB in the class but their own rankings are much higher on him, fielding him as the 88th-best prospect and fourth-best dual-threat QB. That being said, he also plays in Cedar Hill, Texas but at Cedar Hill High School as he’ll duke it out with Sanders for best QB from Cedar Hill in the 2021 class.

He’s compared to Jordan Love and he also competes in track and field and was the MVP of his district last season. Salter ran for 616 yards and 10 scores and threw for 2,550 yards with 28 more touchdowns a year ago. He represents what would be a huge get for Chip Kelly and Co. if they could pluck him out of Texas despite offers from big in-state schools like Baylor, who he also has in his top schools of choice.

If money’s on the line here, I’d say Salter doesn’t come out west either, but he’s still one to watch to see if the staff can secure a spot in his next finalist list.

Dual-Threat QB: Tahj Bullock

UCLA represents Bullock’s latest offer, coming in on February 12 and they also represent arguably the nation’s 15th-best dual-threat quarterbacks top option in terms of school prestige. Bullock has offers from Boston College, Rutgers and Syracuse as well as UCLA in terms of his only Power-5 offers. He competed at The Opening regional event near him in April of last year where he measured in at 6’2.5 and 206 pounds while running a quick 4.43 shuttle and a great vertical of 33.4 inches.

Dual-Threat QB: Kajiya Hollawayne

Hollawayne was on campus a bunch last season, attending two separate camps as well as an unofficial visit and so his placing of UCLA in his top four shouldn’t be a surprise. He has offers from Kansas, San Diego State, Fresno State, Nevada, New Mexico and Northwestern as well as Northern Arizona and he ranks as the country’s 23rd-best dual-threat quarterback. Would assume it’s safe to say that he’s a UCLA lock at this point but it’s a matter of whether he continues to be a priority on the UCLA staff’s board as well as who else becomes a commit in the 2021 class.

Stay tuned for more on the offered prospects for the 2021 class.