UCLA Pursuing Current Big Ten Powerhouse Commit

UCLA's football program has operated with a newfound confidence and conviction under head coach Bob Chesney and his coaching staff, and it seems to be just the beginning on the recruiting trail.

The Bruins will welcome more than 40 new players via the transfer portal and 20 freshmen for the 2026 season, and their 2027 class has rapidly ascended into the top four nationally, with a few legacy commits in tow. It's a great start, but the goal is to make that the norm, and UCLA is now taking a big shot at a high-performing Big Ten commit to make that 2027 class even stronger. If they land him, it would be their biggest recruiting win in a long time.

Appreciate @Coach_DKennedy for showing love and taking the time to come see me today! @UCLAFootball#4sup@HBHSFootball@Hatch89@CoachBobChesneypic.twitter.com/7ZkxocxEln

- Brady Edmunds 2027 (@bradyedmunds9) May 7, 2026

UCLA's Latest 2027 Target

That player is 4-star quarterback prospect Brady Edmunds, who has been committed to Ohio State for almost 1.5 years and is a Huntington Beach, California, native. His recruitment is still considered flexible, and the Bruins are looking to pounce, making a visit to the local prospect on Thursday.

An interesting additional layer to this is the fact that former UCLA head coach Chip Kelly has led the Buckeyes' recruiting of Edmunds as their offensive coordinator, so this battle has a very personal element on both sides.

2027 QB commit Brady Edmunds back for his third day of camp. pic.twitter.com/XExZJYrlmK

- Tony Gerdeman (@TonyGerdeman) June 10, 2025

Edmunds is the No. 18 quarterback in the 2027 class and the No. 225 player nationally. He's been the starter for Huntington Beach since his freshman season, amassing 8,637 passing yards and accounting for 105 total touchdowns (92 through the air and 15 on the ground). He's projected to be a pocket-passer who flourishes in a vertical-based passing attack, but he has the athleticism to be a capable runner as well.

Edmunds will also participate in the Elite 11 Finals, a competitive quarterback camp for elite high school signal-callers, on May 29 alongside a group that includes the top 10 quarterback prospects in his class.

Landing Brady Edmunds

Flipping Brady Edmunds will be no easy task. Not only has he been committed to an Ohio State program with a track record of developing college quarterbacks into stars since December 2024, but he chose the Buckeyes over 22 other offers, including powerhouses like Georgia, Alabama, Texas, Oregon, Ole Miss, and LSU.

However, he has reportedly visited the Bruins twice this offseason, and UCLA has been putting together a class that may be enticing for him to join. Plus, as of offensive coordinator Dean Kennedy's Thursday visit to Huntington Beach, he's still open to hearing from other schools despite being "committed" to the Buckeyes. That hints that there's still some convincing to be done in either direction.

UCLA has the advantage of being a local school for Brady Edmunds, but he would also fill a need. Current starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava enters the 2026-27 with two years of eligibility remaining, but there is no clear heir-apparent behind him. His brother Madden might be the closest, but Edmunds would easily bolster the group and possibly win the job, despite being considered a developmental recruit.

He'd be the biggest commitment Bob Chesney and his staff had landed, and it would happen much more quickly than under other regimes. And it would send UCLA's 2027 recruiting class over the top, setting the tone for a bright future.

This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/ucla as UCLA Pursuing Current Big Ten Powerhouse Commit.

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This story was originally published May 8, 2026 at 3:00 AM.