UCLA Football Recruiting: 4 Star Texas Linebacker Zach Whitley Flips from Alabama to UCLA

Brandon Huffman of Bruin Report Online is reporting that Zach Whitley, a four star linebacker from Texas, has flipped his commitment from Alabama to UCLA.

Here are his tweets:

Galena Park (Texas) North Shore linebacker Zach Whitley has committed to UCLA, flipping from Alabama...

— Brandon Huffman (@BrandonHuffman) January 4, 2014

Whitley will join his teammate Najee Toran, who signed with UCLA last month, in Westwood...

— Brandon Huffman (@BrandonHuffman) January 4, 2014

The story is behind BRO's premium firewall (and if you don't subscribe to BRO -- you should). But the headline makes it clear that Whitley has committed to UCLA. Rumors have been swirling around Whitley for weeks, a "yes he will, no he won't" roller coaster ride that revolved around his recruiting trips to Westwood and Tuscaloosa. Not insignificantly, Whitley is very close to Najee Toran, his his Galena Park (Texas) North Shore high school teammate who is committed to UCLA as a center.

His Scout profile (not behind a firewall) reads like this:

Whitely is exactly what a college coach wants in a middle linebacker. He is a bit of a throw-back in the sense that he plays hard and is a player who is present for nearly every snap throughout the entire game. He is tough and relentless, but best of all, he is intelligent. He reads the plays and does not play the guessing game, making him a player a defensive coordinator can depend on. Is athletic, can blitz and cover sideline-to-sideline.

And some silent (Fox71 will like it) YouTube 'lights:

This is another significant "get" for Jim Mora who continues to build the best defense in the Pac 12.

UPDATE (N)::As flagged by Bruins#1 this will be official soon:

Zach Whitley will enroll at #UCLA next week with his teammate and good friend OL NaJee Toran. Two huge early enrollees for the Bruins.

— Edward Lewis (@EdwardLewisBSR) January 4, 2014

Welcome to Westwood Mr. Whitley. GO BRUINS.