Four-star commits to UCLA
Deon Hollins Jr. has not visited with the new UCLA staff yet but after many conversations and getting heavily recruited by the Bruins the four-star outside linebacker decided to commit on Tuesday.
It is a tremendous pickup for UCLA since the Missouri City (Texas) Fort Bend Marshall standout had many offers including Arkansas, Boise State, Michigan State, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Stanford, Tennessee, Washington among others.
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"It was a culmination of things," Hollins said about his commitment.
"I liked everything from the academic support, the scheme as a whole and I thought the scheme would best fit me. I like the staff. I feel that the coaches can take me to the next level. They'll push me mentally and physically and it will be great."
Hollins Jr., rated as the No. 14 outside linebacker by Rivals.com, is scheduled to visit UCLA this spring. He said the new coaching staff was a big reason why he made his decision so early.
"I want to get there as soon as possible," Hollins said. "Obviously that will be my first stop.
"What piqued my interest was the coaching staff and how genuine they are. They have all that NFL experience and that playing experience. They know exactly what they're looking for and they were adamant about wanting me. I really liked that."
Hollins is fresh off his UCLA commitment but did not totally discount other visits. With so many programs offering him and others showing interest, he said his pledge is firm but doesn't rule out considering other schools.
"I'll still look around and see," Hollins said. "I'm a Bruin now but I'll look around and see if the program will fit me and what will fit me best but I'm happy with my commitment."