UCLA courts – UCLA, holding the No. 9 recruiting class nationally, is making a push for four-star quarterback Brady Edmunds, who is committed to Ohio State since December 2024. The Bruins enlisted Troy Aikman—an UCLA standout in the late 1980s and a Dallas Cowboys legend—to
On a weekend trip to Westwood, four-star quarterback Brady Edmunds didn’t just see the campus lights up close—he met the legacy UCLA has leaned on to try to flip him.
The Bruins, currently ranked with the No. 9 recruiting class in the country. are pushing hard for Edmunds. a 6-foot-5. 220-pound signal-caller who is already committed to Ohio State. To make that pitch land anyway. UCLA turned to Troy Aikman. the Dallas Cowboys legend who also starred at UCLA for two seasons.
Last week, Aikman recorded a video addressed directly to Edmunds. In it, he welcomed Edmunds to the visit and spoke from experience about what UCLA meant to him. “Hey Brady. Troy Aikman here — I wanted to reach out and say I hope you’re having an amazing time there in Westwood this weekend on your visit. Such a great place. I loved my time there at UCLA,” Aikman said in the message that later spread on social media.
Aikman’s recruitment pitch didn’t stay vague. He pointed to Edmunds’ career and urged him to take the next step at UCLA. “… You’ve had an amazing career. looking forward to seeing you take it to the next level and hoping that’s going to be at UCLA. [You’ll] be a part of something really special. … Looking forward to shaking your hand in person when you are lighting it up for the UCLA Bruins.”.
That effort runs up against a clear timeline: Edmunds has been committed to the Buckeyes since December 2024. Still, it appears he’s not treating that commitment like a closed door.
In a recent interview with On3. Edmunds described the UCLA visit in enthusiastic terms. while also signaling that he still has a process to work through. “The visit went really, really well,” he said. “Whatever expectation I had it definitely surpassed it. I’m still getting through my Ohio State OV and camp. As of now, I don’t know where I’m going.”.
He added that the decision may come gradually, not all at once. “UCLA definitely hit the spot. My family really loved it there. It definitely won them over so just trying to navigate from here and we’ll see in the next month-and-a-half or so.”
Aikman’s own UCLA credentials are why UCLA is using his voice at all. He starred for two seasons at UCLA, passing for 4,953 yards, 39 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. His run included winning the Davey O’Brien award in 1988 and being named Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year in 1987.
The push now is straightforward: UCLA wants to close the gap between a current commitment and a future decision. Edmunds already said the visit “surpassed” what he expected. and he’s putting his next steps on a clock—while he finishes his Ohio State opportunity to visit and camp. For UCLA, the question isn’t whether it can make a pitch. It’s whether a former quarterback’s personal reminder can outmaneuver a commitment that’s already in place since December 2024.
UCLA Bruins Brady Edmunds Troy Aikman Ohio State Buckeyes recruiting four-star quarterback Westwood Davey O’Brien award Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year