UCLA lands tight end Matt Alaimo

Closing out the 2018 recruiting class in a big way is extremely important to new UCLA head coach Chip Kelly. The Bruins just landed a major commitment from tight end Matt Alaimo. The former Pittsburgh commit from Montvale (N.J.) St. Joseph's Regional just took an official visit to UCLA over the weekend after taking official visits to Auburn and Texas A&M.

IN HIS OWN WORDS…

"It's a great education at UCLA," Alaimo said. "I really loved it when I went down there. The campus was beautiful and I loved the coaching staff. It made it an easier decision.

"Coach Kelly was showing me how he used all his tight ends in the NFL like Zach Ertz on the Eagles," he said. "I talked to a couple players too. They seem like good guys and I fit in well with them.

"Obviously Texas A&M and Auburn are all good football programs with good coaches," said Alaimo. "It was definitely a hard decision."

RIVALS' REACTION…

UCLA and head coach Chip Kelly continue to stockpile offensive weapons and Alaimo helps add a different dynamic. Alaimo brings a lot to the table as a tight end. He is a reliable target in the passing game, especially down the field and in the red zone, but he also has the ability to take a short catch and stretch it into a big gain because he has good speed and can occasionally make defenders miss in the open field. Alaimo isn't just a flex tight end. He is a pretty good run blocker and is more than willing to mix it up with defensive ends and linebackers. Expect Alaimo to be more of a factor after a year or two on campus so he has time to develop physically.