RB Duece Jones-Drew, son of NFL All-Pro, commits to UCLA

Class of 2027 running backDuece Jones-Drew, the son of former NFL All-Pro Maurice Jones-Drew, has committed toUCLA, he told ESPN on Sunday.

Jones-Drew, a 5-foot-8, 175-pound rusher from California's De La Salle High School, is a three-star prospect in the 2027 cycle. He committed to the Bruins and first-year UCLA coach Bob Chesney overArizonaandCalfollowing a weekend visit for the program's spring game.

The commitment positions Jones-Drew to follow in his father's footsteps with the Bruins football program, where the elder Jones-Drew emerged as a record-setting punt returner and unanimous All-American at UCLA from 2003 to 2005. A second-round selection of the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2006 NFL draft, Jones-Drew made three Pro Bowl appearances across nine NFL seasons, leading the league in rushing and earning All-Pro honors in 2011.

The younger Jones-Drew narrowed his finalists down to Arizona, Cal,SMU, UCLA andUtahthis spring.

He told ESPN his recruitment was influenced heavily by Bruins running backs coach A.J. Steward, a holdover from former coach DeShaun Foster's staff, and the fresh energy he felt within the program across his pair of visits to UCLA following Chesney's arrival late last year.

"Coach Chesney's experience as a winner set them apart for me," Jones-Drew said. "He's won everywhere. He tookJames Madisonto the College Football Playoff. Think about what he can do at UCLA."

Jones-Drew's pledge marks the program's seventh addition in the 2027 class since April 30 and continues a torrid run of recent recruiting for the Bruins and Chesney, the 48-year-old coach who led JMU to the CFP and a 12-2 finish last fall before taking over at UCLA.

After four-star defensive tackleGeorge Toia(No. 60 overall) committed to the Bruins on Thursday, the program beat outAuburn, Michigan, Ohio Stateand Texas A&Mfor four-star offensive guardJackson Roper(No. 210) on Friday.

Over the weekend, UCLA secured pledges from a pair of top-100 cornerbacks in in-state four-starJuJu Johnson(No. 36) andJerry Outhouse Jr.(No. 83), a formerGeorgiacommit. Three-star in-state wide receiverRob Larsonannounced his commitment to UCLA on Sunday afternoon.

The Bruins' 2026 recruiting class finished outside of ESPN's top 75 classes earlier this year despite several late additions after Chesney took over the program in December. UCLA now holds commitments from six SC Next 300 recruits and 16 overall prospects in the 2027 class upon Jones-Drew's pledge.