Elite Class of 2022 Punter Chase Barry Reels in UCLA Football Offer

The five-star special teamer has taken visits and is being recruited by USC, Wisconsin and Notre Dame in addition to the Bruins.
(Photo Courtesy of Chase Barry/Twitter)

A high-profile local punter with experience at some of the best special teams camps in the country has officially made a connection with the Bruins.

Class of 2022 punter Chase Barry received an official offer from UCLA football on Wednesday. Barry has reeled in scholarship offers from Army, Navy and Air Force.

The JSerra (CA) senior measures in at 6-foot-5, 215 pounds and is regarded as one of the top special teams players in the country.

Barry has taken visits to UCLA, Washington State, Oregon State, Arizona, Washington, Notre Dame and Columbia and has also won camps at Texas, USC, TCU, Baylor, Wisconsin and UPenn.

In his senior season at JSerra, Barry attempted 47 punts for an average distance of 41.2 yards, a long of 51 and 18 inside the 20. For his career, Barry is averaging 39.0 yards per punt on 106 punts with a long of 63 and 31 inside the 20. Barry had two 50-plus-yard punts downed at the 1-yard line on Sept. 24 against Newport Harbor, and his coach Scott McKnight raved about his performance postgame.

"We've got a Division I punter who not only can punt for distance, but he's great at pinning guys down," McKnight said. "Chase Barry is a big-time player."

Barry also took on kickoff duties this fall, and he had 19 of his 36 attempts go for touchbacks.

Both Kohl's Professional Camps and Chris Sailer Kicking rate Barry as a five-star recruit and he has racked up several punt showcase wins and All-American finalist spots. Aaron Perez, a former UCLA and NFL punter who works with Sailer, had this to say in his analysis of Barry from July:

Chase is a big time punting prospect. Chase is big, tall, strong and athletic. He has an ideal frame for a college level punter. Chase punts for a great combination of distance and hang time. He averages 45+ yards, with 4.5+ hang time. Chase also shows that he can hit 50+, 5.0+ punts. His footwork and get off times are clean. Also a capable kicker. One of the most consistent performers in America. I really like his all upside. Chase has the tools to be a special college player. Look for him to dominate his senior season picking up college offers along the way. Chase is a fine young man that is always a great pleasure to work with. Strong prospect. OFFER NOW!!!

Sailer’s camp has Barry ranked as the No. 9 punter in the country.

The Bruins hadn't offered a 2022 special teams recruit prior to Barry. The only true punter on UCLA's current roster is sophomore Luke Akers, who was a three-star recruit in the 247Sports Composite when he committed to the Bruins' 2020 class.

UCLA has not had a JSerra product commit since coach Chip Kelly arrived in 2017, but UCLA baseball has four incoming freshman from the local Orange County high school this season.

Follow Connon on Twitter at @SamConnon
Follow All Bruins on Twitter at @SI_AllBruins
Like All Bruins on Facebook at @SI.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


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.