After a mediocre 5-7 record in their inaugural season in the Big Ten Conference, many are expecting UCLA football to once again hover around five wins. However, DeShaun Foster is in no mood to allow mounting pressure to remove him from his goals. The Bruins’ head coach is now busy wooing the recruits, and it looks like his efforts are paying off. Foster has hunted down a 4-star offensive tackle on June 7. With this, his motive to hit two birds with one stone has come true…

Foster’s latest commit will not only reinforce his roster but also threaten his Big Ten and SEC rivals. And who’s this hot recruit who pulled the strings? He is the 4-star offensive tackle Micah “Champ” Smith. The young chap actually lives up to his middle name. The 6-foot-3, 320-pound lineman from Vero Beach, Florida, is the nation’s seventh-ranked offensive tackle prospect in the current cycle. But was this an easy chase for the UCLA Bruins to bring Smith home? Not at all. They had to beat finalists – Alabama, Illinois, Ohio State, South Carolina, and Tennessee, whose names were glowing after the spring visits. Right now, he lands as the highest-ranked pledge under Foster in the Bruins camp. But again, gone are those days when commitment meant locking one’s heart to a program. But what if Foster is actually successful in making the player sign for his squad in the long run?

If everything goes well and good for Foster, Smith will join UCLA as its highest-ranked signee since quarterback Dante Moore (No. 2 overall) in 2023. Not just this. Smith will be the program’s highest-rated offensive line addition since former second-team All-American Xavier Su’a-Filo arrived as the nation’s No. 34 overall prospect in the 2009 class. Now, what made it possible for Foster to gain a place in Smith’s heart? The commit counted on his relationship with Bruins’ offensive line coach Andy Kwon, who joined the program this offseason. Back in May, he took a trip to UCLA for an official visit, that’s when he was impressed with the development track that Foster’s coach presented to him. “My relationship with [Kwon] was a huge factor. That’s the person that’s going to develop you. The culture of the program, that connection with the O-line coach, and the opportunity to play when I get there were all big for me.”

Smith already is carrying with him a strong resume to Foster’s squad, he just needs the support. The young chap cemented himself as the starting right tackle at Florida’s Vero Beach High School in 2023. Playing both ways as a junior last fall, primarily being a right tackle, he racked up 22 tackles (6.5 for loss) and 2.5 sacks on the defensive line. With this, he was among the first class of high school juniors invited to the 2025 Under Armour All-America Game. And he now can’t wait to spread his wings and fly high in Foster’s squad. He announced his commitment to UCLA during a ceremony in front of family, teammates, and supporters on Saturday evening at the John B. Witt Gymnasium. While Foster’s 2026 class looks prim and proper, the 2025 army is in a mess. 

DeShaun Foster is now cleaning up the mess as his high-profile gamble backfired

This April, the Bruins opened the gates to one of the most controversial quarterbacks of this season, Nico Iamaleava. After his NIL fiasco of demanding $4 million from Tennessee, the Bruins were happy to land him. But it came with a cost. Poor Foster! With Nico’s entry, his quarterback room got thinner, as their other quarterback, Joey Aguilar, chose to hit the exit door. And guess which train he boarded? No brownie points for guessing – Tennessee Volunteers. Just to sprinkle salt on Foster’s wounds and rip the band-aid off Nico’s gash.

Aguilar also left a note. “I’m looking forward to being a part of the traditions, the fans, and the legacy of winning at Tennessee. I’m ready to get to work, compete at the highest level, and build something special with my teammates and coaches. I can’t wait to get to Rocky Top! I’m ready to Give My All for Tennessee.” His move left UCLA’s 4-star recruit and the No. 17 class of 2024 quarterback, Dermaricus Davis, filled with worries.

The 6’5” and 187-pounder first signed with the Washington Huskies coming out of Etiwanda High School. But later wanted to return home to his Southern California roots and then boarded DeShaun Foster’s wagon on May 6, 2024. A year later, on May 23, the former 4-star quarterback Davis, aka MarMar, confirmed he is transferring from UCLA to the University of Hawaii football team. The Bruins’ 2025 roster? More broken than built right now. Let’s just hope Micah Smith doesn’t ghost Foster like the rest of them.