Dynamic Offensive Tackle Recruit Elishah Jackett Has UCLA Football in Top 5

The Bruins are competing with USC, Washington, Texas and Texas A&M for the Orange County recruit.

The Bruins are one step closer to potentially adding a local prospect to their future offensive line.

UCLA football is currently in the top five for class of 2023 offensive tackle Elishah Jackett, the recruit disclosed in a discussion with 247Sports' Greg Biggins on Tuesday. The El Modena High School (CA) product is also considering USC, Washington, Texas and Texas A&M as his other finalists..

Jackett also had offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Cal, Kansas, Ole Miss, Rice, San Diego State and Washington State, but they are all out of the running for the time being. The Bruins sent their offer to Jackett on Feb. 28, the most recent of his 13 offers.

Following that offer, the Orange County product came up to Los Angeles to visit USC and attend the Under Armour All-American camp the next day. Jackett has yet to visit UCLA, but he says he is working on locking down a date in the near future.

Jackett talked about his list of finalists with Biggins, citing his quick connection with new offensive line coach Tim Drevno and his interest in UCLA's kinesiology program as things that could draw him to Westwood.

“I watched UCLA growing up and have always had interest in them," Jackett told 247Sports. "It’s a good academic school as well so I’m excited to build a relationship with them moving forward.”

While his football recruiting took off drastically this winter, Jackett is still suiting up as a dual-sport athlete at El Modena. Jackett's 6-foot-7 frame transitions nicely to basketball, where he is a forward/center for the Vanguards.

On the gridiron, though, he made a leap in 2021. USC and San Diego State had been in touch through most of the fall, but Jackett did not have an offer until November. Once those two schools hopped on board, Rice was not far behind, and nine more programs offered Jackett since the end of his junior season.

Jackett weighed in at 250 pounds at the Under Armour All-American camp on Sunday, placing him squarely on the lighter side for offensive tackles. Jackett does have ample room to add weight at his height, though, and he has shown in games and at camps that his length and foot quickness make him an intriguing prospect as is.

6-foot-7 tackle Elishah Jackett of El Modena (Orange) has been heating up lately. Here he is in the 1-on-1 period at the UA Next Camp Series. @PrepRedzoneCA @ocvarsity @SteveFryer @ocvarsityguy @elmodenafb @elishah_jackett pic.twitter.com/3VtrL3xO6w

— Michael Huntley (@mikehuntley63) March 6, 2022

Jackett is a three-star prospects according to both 247Sports and Rivals. In the 247Sports Composite rankings, Jackett is currently the No. 32 prospect in California, the No. 41 tackle in the country and the No. 497 recruit in his class overall. Among offensive tackles and all offensive lineman, Jackett ranks the highest in the entire state.

UCLA lost both of its starting tackles earlier this offseason, with both Alec Anderson and Sean Rhyan declaring for the 2022 NFL Draft. Garrett DiGiorgio will be a junior by the time 2023 rolls around, but the other tackle spot remains a question mark moving forward.

Incoming Rutgers transfer left tackle Raiqwon O'Neal has at least one year of eligibility remaining, but it remains to be seen if he can end up being a two-year player for UCLA and hang around for 2023.

As a result, the Bruins' staff is leaving no stone unturned when looking for potential pieces for its future trenches. UCLA now has six outstanding offers to class of 2023 offensive tackles, tied for their most to any position.

Spencer Fano is the highest-rated of the bunch, but Jackett is joined by Elijah Paige, Luke Baklenko, Raymond Pulido and Heath Ozaeta as other West Coast prospects who could figure into the Bruins' future plans up front.

None of them have committed to UCLA as of yet – the Bruins are one of four Pac-12 programs without a class of 2023 recruit under their wing at the moment.

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