Jaelan Phillips has made his decision, and UCLA is the big benificiary.
On Thursday, Phillips committed his collegiate future to UCLA, deciding to stay close to his Redlands home. The 6-foot-5, 235 pound defensive lineman made his choice after a whirlwind three weeks in which he unofficially visited both UCLA and USC, turning his back on scholarship offers from the entire Pac-12 and a handful of the nation’s other top programs. In an interview with Bleacher Report shortly after his decision, Phillips said that his familial connections to UCLA and his comfort with the role the coaches envision for him inspired his decision.
“We’ve been talking about it a lot,” Phillips told Bleacher Report. “I went back and forth with UCLA and Stanford. It was a tough decision, but my family’s extremely excited for me.
“My dad’s overwhelmed that I’m going to his alma mater, and my mom loves UCLA and that I’m comfortable with where I’m going. I’m excited; I’m ready.”
He cited Stanford as a close runner-up to his eventual decision, and said he was drawn by the academic potential there. But the ability to follow in the footsteps of both his father and NFL star Anthony Barr was too enticing for the East Valley star.
“It was a big decision for me, and nothing was cut-and-dry,” Phillips told Bleacher Report. “With UCLA, I want to be part of a revolution and part of something that’s getting better. …
“(UCLA) simply is the right place for me.”