Monrovia defensive lineman Ellis McCarthy was considered one of the best recruits in the country, and his commitment to the California Golden Bears at the Army All-American Game was considered a coup. McCarthy is considered perhaps the best defensive lineman on the West Coast, and he figures to be a game-changer at whatever program he ends up in.
So when Tosh Lupoi left Cal earlier today for Washington, it figured that McCarthy would be reconsidering his options, and it turns out he's been heavily interested in the UCLA Bruins for awhile. So much so that he was ready to make his commitment after an in-home visit. Miguel Melendez of Inside SoCal reports.
McCarthy changed his mind after consulting with his family upon news that Lupoi was leaving to join Steve Sarkisian's staff at Washington.
According to a source, UCLA defensive backs coach and former Washington recruiter Demetrice Martin was at the McCarthy residence Monday when McCarthy announced he was choosing the Bruins.
Ed went into detail about how UCLA suddenly grew in the picture.
"UCLA was always there," Ed said. "It was always something that he thought about since he was a little child. We even have a picture of him wearing a UCLA jersey."
UCLA now has a dominant defensive tackle to clog the inside and help the Bruins try and rebuild their defensive front. The question is will his commitment stick? USC would love to take McCarthy right away if they can. We shall see.
To discuss UCLA football recruiting, head on over to Bruins Nation.