UCLA Football Flips Class of 2023 DL Grant Buckey From Rival USC
The Bruins have turned a Trojan loss into a win of their own.
Class of 2023 defensive lineman Grant Buckey has verbally committed to UCLA football, the Liberty High School (CA) product announced Thursday on Twitter. Buckey had been committed to crosstown rival USC since June 15, but he flipped from one Los Angeles school to another as the cycle nears its end.
Buckey also had offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Cal, Colorado, Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada, Oregon, Oregon State, San Jose State, Stanford, UNLV, Utah, Utah State, Washington and Washington State.
#AGTG Go bruins!! pic.twitter.com/kLn03urdf4
— Grant Buckey (@GrantBuckey) December 1, 2022
Buckey told 247Sports that he is still set to compete in high school track & field this winter and therefore won't be graduating early or signing his national letter of intent until February.
UCLA hosted Buckey for an official visit on May 14, a few weeks before he took his official to USC.
In 12 games with Liberty this season, Buckey totaled 52 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks, 20 quarterback hurries, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery for a touchdown. As a junior, Buckey recorded 51 tackles, 15.0 tackles for loss, 7.0 sacks, 12 quarterback hurries, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two passes defended.
Coming in at 6-foot-5, 265 pounds, Buckey played defensive end at Liberty. Defensive line coach Chad Kauha'aha'a led the charge in recruiting the Bakersfield native, though, so he could be making the move to the inside at the college level rather than remaining on the edge.
Buckey's father, Jeff, was an offensive lineman at Stanford before spending four years in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers. Buckey's older brother, Zach, is currently a defensive lineman for the Cardinal.
Buckey is a three-star recruit, according to 247Sports, Rivals, ESPN and On3. In the 247Sports Composite, Buckey is ranked as the No. 39 player in California, the No. 62 defensive lineman in the country and the No. 551 overall prospect in his class.
There are only two defensive linemen who rank above Buckey in the state of California – uncommitted five-star Matayo Uiagalelei and three-star Stanford commit Cameron Brandt, who told 247Sports he has heard from UCLA's coaches since David Shaw resigned on Sunday.
UCLA's class of 2023 moved up from No. 62 in the national rankings to No. 59 following Buckey's commitment. USC's, on the other hand, dropped from No. 13 to No. 14.
Buckey is now one of two defensive linemen in the Bruins' 11-member class – not including UPenn grad transfer defensive end Jake Heimlicher, who committed Tuesday night. Three-star Liberty High School (NV) product AJ Fuimaono committed to UCLA back in July.
Veteran defensive lineman Hayden Harris entered the transfer portal Wednesday, while former Harvard transfer Jacob Sykes and oft-injured sixth-year Martin Andrus Jr. exhausted their collegiate eligibility this season. Depending on who slots in where, the Bruins appear to be at a net zero on the defensive line at the moment, with two freshmen and a transfer replacing two seniors and a transfer.
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PHOTO COURTESY OF GRANT BUCKEY/TWITTER