Class of 2024 DB Marquis Gallegos Earns Offer From UCLA Football

Another local defensive back has been added to the Bruins' recruiting board as Chip Kelly continues his high school visits.
In this story:

The Bruins aren't done targeting defensive backs just yet.

Class of 2024 safety Marquis Gallegos picked up an offer from UCLA football, he announced Friday night on Twitter. The defensive back out of Chaminade (CA) becomes the fifth defensive back to earn an offer from the Bruins in the past seven days.

Gallegos has additional offers from Arizona, Boston College, Bryant, Cal, Colorado, Michigan State, Nebraska, Nevada, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon, Sacramento State, San Diego State, San Jose State, Tennessee, USC, Washington and Washington State.

Gallegos took two unofficial visits to Westwood back in April, not long after he made an appearance to the 2022 Polynesian Bowl National Combine & Showcase. Ohio State, USC, Michigan, Cal and Oregon have also hosted Gallegos for visits over the past year.

Fresno State was the first school to offer Gallegos back at the start of his sophomore season.

UCLA was one of 31 colleges that sent coaches to Chaminade over the past few weeks, and 247Sports' Bruin Report Online reported that coach Chip Kelly was there to check out Gallegos and the Eagles.

During his junior season at Chaminade, Gallegos totaled 96 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, seven interceptions, 11 pass breakups and one fumble recovery. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound safety earned a spot on the All-Mission League First Team.

Gallegos is a four-star prospect, according to 247Sports, ESPN and On3, although Rivals has him pegged as a three-star. In the 247Sports Composite, Gallegos is the No. 20 safety in the country, the No. 22 recruit in California and the No. 234 overall player in his class.

Among safeties in California, Gallegos ranks No. 2, and No. 1 among those who are uncommitted.

UCLA picked up its first 2024 commitment from four-star cornerback Khristian Dunbar-Hawkins on Jan. 17, giving them the No. 32 class in the country and No. 6 in the Pac-12.

Gallegos thanked defensive backs coach Brian Norwood the tweet announcing his offer. Norwood could move to safeties coach or take on a new role entirely, since the Bruins brought in Sacramento State's Kodi Whitfield to be their new cornerbacks coach earlier in January.

Between Norwood and Whitfield, UCLA has been hitting the recruiting trail hard for defensive backs over the past few weeks. On top of Dunbar-Hawkins' commitment, they have also offered JUCO safety Zeke Thomas, Mater Dei (CA) three-star safety Jeilani Davis, four-star Calabasas (CA) cornerback Aaron Butler and Bountiful (UT) three-star athlete Faletau Satuala.

Follow Connon on Twitter at @SamConnon
Follow All Bruins on Twitter at @FN_AllBruins
Like All Bruins on Facebook at @FN.AllBruins
Subscribe to All Bruins on YouTube

Read more UCLA stories: UCLA Bruins on Sports Illustrated
Read more UCLA football stories: UCLA Football on Sports Illustrated

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARQUIS GALLEGOS/INSTAGRAM


Published
Sam Connon
SAM CONNON

Sam Connon was the Publisher and Managing Editor at Sports Illustrated and FanNation’s All Bruins from 2021 to 2023. He is now a staff writer at Sports Illustrated and FanNation’s Fastball. He previously covered UCLA football, men's basketball, women's basketball, baseball, men's soccer, cross country and golf for The Daily Bruin from 2017 to 2021, serving as the paper's Sports Editor from 2019 to 2020. Connon has also been a contributor for 247Sports' Bruin Report Online, Rivals' BruinBlitz, Dash Sports TV, SuperWestSports, Prime Time Sports Talk, The Sports Life Blog and Patriots Country, Sports Illustrated and FanNation’s New England Patriots site. His work as a sports columnist has been awarded by the College Media Association and Society of Professional Journalists. Connon graduated from UCLA in June 2021 and is originally from Winchester, Massachusetts.