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UCLA Football: Bruins Land 3-Star OL Commit

Sam Garcia

Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports
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UCLA football has secured a 16th hard commit from the class of 2025. Three-star offensive lineman Nehemiah Johnson, a Southern California native, announced his verbal commitment to the Bruins program via X on Friday. 

Johnson received the offer from the UCLA coaching staff on June 19, marking his second NCAA Division I offer. The UMass Minuteman had their eyes on Johnson more than a year before the Bruins, sending an offer to Johnson on May 24, 2023, according to 247Sports.com.

The three-star commit comes from Orange Lutheran High School, California’s No. 7 ranked football program by MaxPreps.com. Last season, the Lancers went 2-3 and landed fourth place in the Trinity League. All six high school programs in the league are ranked in the top 12 California high school football teams by MaxPreps.com, including the top two teams Mater Dei and St. John Bosco. 

Johnson was a key piece of Orange Lutheran’s offensive line last season. In the Lancer’s first two games, they rushed more than 400 yards and scored nine touchdowns with the help of Johnson and a group of sophomores and juniors. Johnson's dominance on defense contributed to Orange Lutherans season-opening victories against Serra High School (47-19) and De La Salle High School (35-14).

Orange Lutheran fell to Centennial in the first round of the 2023 Division I CIF Southern Section Football Playoffs, which ended Johnson's junior season. But, the rising senior still has one season remaining with the Lancers before heading to Westwood.

The Bruins have acquired a handful of athletes from Orange Lutheran, including women's water polo reigning national champion and rising sophomore Lauren Steele and rising redshirt freshman long snapper Trent Middleton.

Two four-star commits, quarterback Madden Iamaleava and Jadyn Hudson, headline the other 15 hard commits UCLA football has secured so far. UCLA also landed two players from top 3 California football teams. Kuron Jabari Jr comes from No. 3 Centennial and edge Epi Sitanilei from St. John Bosco. California native linebacker Weston Port was the first Bruin commit on February 24 while Johnson is the most recent commit. Johnson is currently the only outside linebacker among the 16 hard commits.

National Signing Day for the class of 2025 will be on February 25, 2025. Before Johnson can officially sign his national letter of intent, Johnson will play his final season with the Lancers. The future Bruin and Orange Lutheran will open the 2024-25 season against Serra High School on August 23.

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Sam Garcia
SAM GARCIA

Samantha Garcia is a student at the University of California, Los Angeles. She is majoring in Psychology and minoring in Professional Writing. She is also a sports writer for the Daily Bruin at UCLA.

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