RESOLVING THE LEDGER
This is one outlet's own report from Yahoo Sports — the article as it was filed. Other outlets are covering the same event; open the full story to compare every source side by side.
See the full story · 1 sourcesNico Iamaleava's decision to leave Tennessee for UCLA looks worse by the week. Getty
New UCLA Bruins football head coach Bob Chesney wants to take over Southern California. He knows it all starts on the recruiting trail with winning back local fans. But that now includes going after a star prep quarterback with ties to a past Los Angeles Rams star.
Chesney has dished out multiple offers for quarterbacks representing the 2028 class. But one is trending upward out of nearby Ventura County.
Jaxson Carper of St. Bonaventure High in Ventura is heading towards his third varsity season. New recruiting intel points to the Bruins suddenly turning up the heat on the talent coached by ex-Rams safety/nickelback Troy Hill.
How UCLA is ‘Surging’
National recruiting analyst for On3/Rivals Adam Gorney released new intel on Carper’s recruitment Sunday.
Arizona remains the current frontrunner, but Gorney says the Bruins are turning up the heat.
“After working out in Westwood over the summer, UCLA could be surging as well, especially after the Bruins missed on some top 2027 quarterback targets,” Gorney said.
Carper rose as a Big 12 target at first with ‘Zona and Kansas making an early run while Carper was a sophomore. He also received an offer from SMU out of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Gorney adds that Nebraska offered at one point, but appears to be losing ground.
“For the same reason, Nebraska could be slipping after landing Trae Taylor as Carper feels the Huskers aren’t paying Taylor a bunch to just sit around,” Gorney wrote.
UCLA Landing Jaxson Carper Becomes Huge for Troy Hill for This Reason
Hill became a popular local star for the Rams during their return to LA in the early Sean McVay years. The former Oregon star helped attract an Oxnard/Ventura following with his two stints for the franchise. Hill played 2017 to 2020 for LA and then returned briefly for the 2022 season as a late addition.
He dove right into coaching in the summer of 2025, taking over a proud program that made a run in the state finals for their division. And he turned to Carper to lead his offense.
But Carper landing at UCLA or any powerhouse becomes huge for Hill for this reason. The dual-threat quarterback would become Hill’s first Power Conference talent he coached up.
Hill delivered two Mountain West Conference defensive linemen in Matt Perez (Nevada) and Walter Moore (New Mexico). So Carper can become his first offensive college prospect for the NCAA Division I level.
UCLA can Deliver Recruiting Coup too
The Bruins can capitalize on landing a prominent local star too to launch their 2028 movement on the recruiting trail.
Plus can take advantage of USC not pursuing Carper, with reports of the Trojans becoming more fixated on Inland Empire standout from Vista del Lago High in Moreno Valley, California Josiah Boyd, who’s a Big Ten target. But USC did offer Texas talent Trey Wright from Lone Star High during the weekend of Aug. 9.
Carper can become a major step for UCLA to win back the Ventura County recruiting pipeline amid Chesney’s vision to raid California. Plus create a pipeline with a past Rams star.
Like HEAVY's content? Be sure to follow us .
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post UCLA ‘Surging’ for Rising 2028 QB with Ties to Ex-Rams Star appeared first on HEAVY .
AIPROPX is an independent multi-source news index — we track, compare, and connect coverage from across the web into one place you won't find anywhere else.