Top In-State Receiver Rico Flores Puts UCLA Football in Top 10

The Bruins are planning for the future outside the numbers and got one step closer to adding one of the best wideouts in California.

(Photo Courtesy of Rico Flores Jr./Twitter)

The Bruins have been named a semifinalist for a widely sought-after receiver.

Cutting his field of potential future teams down by more than a half, class of 2023 wide receiver Rico Flores selected his final 10 collegiate options on Thursday and UCLA football made the list. Coach Chip Kelly and receivers coach Jerry Neuheisel will be competing alongside Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, Pittsburgh, Texas, and USC for the opportunity to pitch the Folsom High School (CA) wideout on why Westwood is the best fit for him.

Flores had also received offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Cal, Colorado, Georgia Tech, Nebraska, Nevada, Ole Miss, Oregon State, Pittsburgh, Stanford, Tennessee, UNLV, Utah, Washington and Yale.

Blessed to see another year… 🔟 pic.twitter.com/FZYJ8U2zL4

— Rico Flores Jr🕴🏽 (@lil_reek_) December 31, 2021

In an interview with 247Sports, Flores discussed why the 10 colleges made the cut, and he said UCLA has geography and momentum working in their favor.

"Because the UCLA program is very welcoming and also the area is nice,” Flores said. “Plus what they have building there is just amazing."

Flores is currently listed as a four-star prospect by the 247Sports Composite, ESPN and Rivals. The highest that the 6-foot-1 receiver was ranked by the three services was No. 145 overall by Rivals, while the lowest was No. 159 by ESPN. Among wideouts, Flores is ranked No. 14 by ESPN, No. 22 by Rivals and No. 23 by the 247Sports Composite, and he is a consensus top-15 player and top-three receiver in California.

The Bruins are competing to earn Flores’ verbal commitment against productive recruiting powers with strong footprints in the region, including Oregon and USC, two schools with new coaches joining their programs over the last month.

It could take a large effort for UCLA to land Flores’ commitment and so far, Flores says the Bruins are talking to him almost every single day. Flores earned his offer from UCLA on June 23 and he had a visit to Westwood on Dec. 11.

Cherish the moment… #notcommited pic.twitter.com/4HKvVCJ2fu

— Rico Flores Jr🕴🏽 (@lil_reek_) December 12, 2021

On the field, Flores provided Folsom with prolific numbers on the field, averaging 77.1 receiving yards per game, 81 catches, 11 receiving touchdowns and 12 touchdowns overall. In his three years combined on the varsity roster, Flores has accumulated 2,142 total yards, 16.6 yards per reception, 73.8 receiving yards per game and 25 total touchdowns.

Even though it is still a year away, Flores was invited and accepted an invitation to next year’s All-American Bowl, which is played every year with the top high school recruits facing off on national television.

Regardless of their NFL Draft decisions this offseason, Kyle Philips, Chase Cota and Kazmeir Allen would all be out of eligibility by the time Flores could arrive on campus in 2023, so the receiver room will have a vastly different look by then regardless of his decision.

The only commit UCLA has in its 2023 class is cornerback Maliki Crawford. In the recently-signed 2022 class, the Bruins added receivers Jadyn Marshall and Braden Pegan.

There is still time to go, but the Bruins could be in the early mix if communication stays positive with Flores.

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