Castro switches after weekend visit
UCLA fans can thank Jeremy Castro's mother that he switched his commitment from Oregon to the Bruins after this weekend's visit.
The Murrieta (Calif.) Vista Murrieta defensive end also had a great time on his trip and the four-star decided to switch things up in the final weeks before National Signing Day.
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"First of all, I didn't really want to go on the visit because I was committed to Oregon and I felt comfortable with Oregon but my mom wanted me to take the visit so I wanted to make my mom happy and I took the visit," Castro said.
"After I thought about it I loved it. There is a new coaching staff, new program, why not start fresh, why not start fresh with this recruiting class and become a Bruin?"
Castro, who finished with 106 tackles and 11 sacks in his senior season on a team that finished undefeated on the field, was committed to Washington earlier in his recruitment and then switched to Oregon in the last few months before being convinced to take the visit to UCLA.
Early on his trip this weekend, Castro made it clear that the Ducks were still his favorite but after further consideration the four-star decided to make the switch.
Being closer to home was also a consideration but Castro said UCLA's new coaching staff and the direction of the program were the biggest reasons why the Vista Murrieta standout switched his pledge.
"The players and the coaching staff are great," Castro said.
"The head coach is a defensive coach who was in the NFL and I loved that. If I keep working hard and keep getting better I could maybe get to the next level. It was a total surprise that I switched."
Rivals.com rates Castro, a 6-foot-1, 240-pound prospect, as the No. 17 weak-side defensive end in the 2012 class.