UCLA lands Florida-based defensive back

Distance matters not to Kendrick Torian, It’s part of why it’s at ease with his commitment to UCLA. Of course, that’s not the entire driving force behind the safety’s decision. There’s plenty more to it than that. The allure of Los Angeles is one thing. But this commitment, like most, is also based on comfort level.

“I have a close relationship with the defensive back coach out there and he's trying to bring Florida talent to the west coast,” Torian said.

Torian, who attends Tampa (Fla.) Jesuit High School, chose the Bruins over a number of ACC, SEC and Big 10 programs. The distance was a non-factor because it was dwarfed by the relationships he’s built in Westwood. “I like coach [Demetrice Martin] the best over at UCLA,” Torian said. “He's been recruiting me for a while. He wants to make UCLA a great place and wants to get players like me on the field early.”

His bond with his position coach is why he’s so comfortable speaking about his future role. It seems his fit within the UCLA defense is still being planned out, but the uncertainty on that front doesn’t much bother Torian.

“UCLA wants to play nickel, safety or corner,” he said. “It’s one of those or all. The reason why is because I'm so long and I have good size, so they feel they can put me anywhere and I can succeed.”