Talented kicker pulls trigger
There is no doubt that Jeff Locke (6-1, 185, 4.7) from Phoenix (Ariz.) Mountain Ridge is one of the nation's best punt and place-kicker prospects for the class of 2008. The strong-legged Locke already has 11 offers on the table. In kicker offers that equals about 50. Locke made his college choice earlier today.
Few schools in the nation have had the recruiting success that the UCLA Bruins have this recruiting season. Now the Bruins add Locke to their already very impressive recruiting class.
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"I'm a west coast guy," Locke said. "I lived in Arizona all my life and I love California. I vacation there all the time."
"I love the coaching staff at UCLA," Locke said. "I also have a pretty good relationship with current UCLA punter Aaron Perez and I'll be learning from him.
"UCLA is one of the top academic schools in the country. That was also a big plus.
"I love the recruiting class UCLA is bringing in," Locke said. "It's an amazing class and I'm really glad joining really good recruiting class.
Though Locke had 11 offers, he narrowed down the field of competitor to three. Besides UCLA, Locke had Georgia Tech and Arizona State in his final three. UCLA fans are happy with his choice.
UCLA recruited Locke to be their punter in the future and to back up Kai Forbath at the place-kicking position.
Locke earned all-state honors as a junior after hitting on 7-11 field goals with a career long of 48 yards. He has also hit on 100 percent of his extra points during his high school career and 83 percent of his kickoffs went for touchbacks as a junior..
From his punting position, Locke averaged 43 yards per punt with outstanding hang time. The reason Locke was such a sought after kicker was because of his hang time.
Locke is headed to kicking guru Chris Sailer's Top 12 kicking camp, which could be the special teams equivalent to the Elite 11 quarterback camp.
Locke is very grateful to Chris Sailer.
"I don't think, in fact, I know I wouldn't be where I am today if not for Chris Sailer," Locke said. "I think Chris is one of the reasons that kickers are getting scholarship offers today."
Locke is rated by Rivals.com and the No. 3 place-kicker prospect in the nation for the class of 2008 and he's also a member of Rivals.com Arizona Top 20 landing as the Grand Canyon State's No. 17 prospect at any position.
Another solid get for Karl Dorrell's UCLA Bruin program. Dino Babers and Gary DeLoach headed the recruiting efforts for the UCLA.