UCLA Flips Safety Leni Toailoa from SJSU, Toailoa Brothers to be Bruins
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @HogManInLA
In late July safety Leni Toailoa got his UCLA offer. On Monday the Wilmer Carter star flipped his commitment from San Jose State choosing to head to Los Angeles to play with his brother Lokeni in Westwood.
UCLA got a big recruiting steal with the addition of Leni to their 2016 recruiting class. In 2014 Leni helped lead the Lions to a 9-3 record playing ironman football. Playing running back behind seniors Zamore Ziglerand and Aaron Brown, Leni was limited to 22 carries picking up 99 yards with a score. He also had three receptions for 24 yards but made a bigger splash on defense racking up 48 tackles, 5.0 tackles for a loss, and caused three fumbles.
The 6’1”, 192 pound, athlete picked up offers from Arizona State, Fresno State, Oregon State, UNLV, Washington, and San Jose State committing to the Spartans on March 23. On the same day, 4-star linebacker brother Lokeni committed to the Bruins over 20 other offers from programs from around the nation that included Oregon, Oklahoma, Cal, Arizona State, Stanford, USC, Miami, Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, and Utah.
The Lions are off to a 3-0 start with Leni still playing both ways. He has four receptions for 85 yards and 13 tackles with 2.0 tackles for a loss and a pass defended.
The Bruins now have 18 verbal commitments to their 2016 recruiting class. The class is full of athletes on both sides of the ball and filling needed positions at kicker and punter. The Bruins only have one offensive lineman verbally committed. If a full class of 25 is signed, expect to see at least three more added in the coming months.
UCLA 2016 Verbal Commitment List
WR/CB Marquis Lawson, 5’8”, 166 lbs, Crenshaw HS, Los Angeles, CA
WR Dymond Lee, 6’2”, 175 lbs, Chaminade HS, West Hills, CA
WR Darian Owens, 6’0”, 192 lbs, Clovis West HS, Fresno, CA
TE Jordan Wilson, 6’5”, 215 lbs, Montgomery Bell, Nashville, TN
QB Matt Lynch, 6’5”, 182 lbs, Legacy HS, Broomfield, CO
RB Demetric Felton, 5’10”, 170 lbs, Great Oak HS, Temecula, CA
FB Jalen Starks, 6’1”, 240 lbs, Crespi HS, Encino, CA
OC Toleafoa Auwae, 6’3”, 296 lbs, Kapolei HS, Kapolei, HI
LS Johnny Den Bleyker, 6’0”, 200 lbs, Moreau Catholic HS, Hayward, CA
K JJ Molson, 6’1”, 190 lbs, John Abbott College, Montreal, Canada
P Bailey Raborn, 6’0”, 195 lbs, St. Thomas More, Lafayette, LA
DE Wole Betiku, 6’4”, 250 lbs, Junipero Serra HS, Gardena, CA
DE Marcus Moore, 6’3”, 244 lbs, Crespi HS, Encino, CA
DE Osa Odighizuwa, 6’2”, 250 lbs, David Douglas HS, Portland, OR
LB Krys Barnes, 6’2”, 220 lbs, Liberty HS, Bakersfield, CA
LB Breland Brandt, 6’4”, 220 lbs, Windward HS, Los Angeles, CA
LB Lokeni Toailoa, 6’0”, 213 lbs, Wilmer Carter HS, Rialto, CA
SS Leni Toailoa, 6’1”, 192 lbs, Wilmer Carter HS, Rialto, CA
Photo credit: scout.com; Leni Toailoa at a UCLA camp.