Bruins Remain in on Four-Star Safety Target

The UCLA staff has been hard at work, setting up visits and recruiting top talent. CJ Hester is undoubtedly one of the higher-priority prospects.

Cardinal Mooney ball carrier Marcus Galloway (#4) is stopped when Cocoa High defensive back CJ Hester (#1) grabs his jersey. Cocoa High School defeated Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School 31-21 to win the Class 2A semi-final game Friday night in Sarasota. / Mike Lang / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The UCLA staff is still hard at work, setting up official visits and working to make some headway in the 2026 class.

One of those players that will be a top priority will be four-star recruit CJ Hester, one of the top safety prospects in the 2026 class. Hester was offered by the Bruins back in February and has an official visit set up for June 13.

Hester will make his way to a few other schools as well during his official visit tour. He will also see Auburn on May 16, Syracuse on June 6, and Iowa on June 20. Notably, UCLA is the only West Coast team, but it isn't the only Big Ten school.

Coach DeShaun Foster and defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe know how important it is to continue to build depth in the secondary and have put a major emphasis on defense as a whole at all 3 levels.

Hester was a big piece of a state championship title for his team in the state of Florida, making him a three-time state champion. On the season, Hester was able to rack up 72 total tackles, four interceptions and 10 pass breakups, per MaxPreps.

Hester has game-breaking speed, mixed with the natural instincts to read the quarterback and jump routes at an elite level. He's a physical safety who loves to come downhill in the run game and lay some big-time shots. He's a reliable and durable guy who can elevate a defense immediately.

When Foster and Malloe have Hester on campus, they'll be selling their vision for the defense and the kind of role he can play in it. The culture and foundation are being built up right now, and the Bruins need the key pieces that fit their mold. The 2026 class needs to be built up with guys that can be leaders and cornerstones in the program from the moment they get on campus.

Every indication is that Hester fits in that, hence the amount of energy the staff is spending to wow the rising star. He has all of the talent in the world, and if the staff thinks he has the intangibles to fit in with their vision, that makes this a no-brainer. The visit will be a crucial one.

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