We head into the tail end of the recruiting cycle. A lot of recruits have already made their choices. Until recently, that seemed to be the case for Micah Smith. He looked all set to join the Bruins in 2026. But just like the fickle nature of college football, there may be a change in his destination.

As per the Rivals, the Micah Smith flip saga has the potential to cause some headache for Tim Skipper and UCLA. Especially from Tennessee Volunteers. The report also listed Ohio State and Ole Miss as the programs looking to get his signature.

Micah Smith was undoubtedly the centerpiece of UCLA’s 22nd-ranked recruiting class. Now that even his commitment appears to be in doubt. It’s bound to have severe implications for UCLA’s ability to secure other quality recruits. All while stirring doubt among the presently committed ones as well. Unfortunately, UCLA has been subject to a lot of flips recently, with Micah joining the list.

Smith committed to UCLA on June 7. After which, he maintained a stance of not looking anywhere else. At the moment of his UCLA pledge, Smith told ESPN, “I just felt it when I went there, it felt like home to me. I was never certain of when I was going to commit. But when I felt right about it. I knew I was going to be ready to make that the time to do it. It felt right.”

But it should not come as a shock, because just like most of the recruits in the market, he has been looking at a lot of places throughout. Be it Ohio State, which remained his main destination since 2024, or Alabama. He has courted a lot of elite programs before as well.

Micah Smith has emerged as one of the best offensive linemen in the nation. He is a dominant two-way player who plays at Vero Beach High School. Smith put up excellent numbers in his junior year at his high school. He compiled 22 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks, all while simultaneously operating as a starting right tackle for the offense.

Standing at 6 feet 5, 320lbs as a giant of an athlete, he possesses the physicality demanded in college football. He is ranked 46 overall and 7 as an OL. Incidentally, the highest-ranked in UCLA’s recruiting class. His selection to the Under Armor All-America Game further cemented his place as one of the top-100 prospects nationally.

Currently, Tennessee’s recruiting class ranks #8 nationally. And beyond the immediate implications, Smith’s flip would propel their class to newer heights while acting as a selling point to get some more elite recruits. All while establishing Tennessee as the premier location for talent development and recruitment. For now, nothing is sure.

Tennessee already improving thanks to UCLA

Tennessee enters November at 6-2 overall (3-2 SEC) with genuine College Football Playoff aspirations. After uncertainty over their QB situation. The Vols acquired Joey Aguilar from UCLA, a transfer who had previously spent two seasons at Appalachian State, where he completed 3,003 passing yards and 23 touchdowns in 2024.

Despite joining the program only in late spring and having limited time to absorb Heupel’s intense offensive scheme, Aguilar seized the starting opportunity and led Tennessee well.

On the other side of the deal, the Bruins got to have Nico Iamaleava. That didn’t produce immediate results as UCLA couldn’t buy a win, and they had to fire their head coach. However, since Tim Skipper took over the interim role, the Bruins have won three of their last four wins. It was their win over Penn State that ultimately resulted in the firing of James Franklin. On his part, Nico has shown why he was rated high as a freshman.

The tricky situation for UCLA is their coaching search. When you let go of your HC, it reflects instability, and that’s never a good sign for your recruits. A decision on that front will likely put them in a better position to hold on to the likes of Micah Smith.