UCLA RECRUITING: NO STARS, BUT UCLA CLASS SOLID.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

UCLA coach Karl Dorrell will unveil a 26-player recruiting class today that Bruins backers are not used to seeing, one thick with offensive and defensive linemen but without the eye-popping skill-position player.

High school seniors can sign a binding national letter of intent beginning today, and UCLA is the choice of two more players that decided Tuesday: Los Altos High of Hacienda Heights defensive lineman Brigham Harwell and receiver Brandon Breazell of Edison High of Fresno.

Harwell, who originally committed to UCLA on Aug. 2, was looking heavily into Arizona State. But he will announce at 8:30 a.m. today that he is signing with the Bruins. The pass-rush specialist had more than 100 tackles and 21 sacks in helping Los Altos to a 14-0 mark. He is considered the gem of UCLA's recruiting class.

``I'm a hometown boy, and my heart told me all along to stick with UCLA,'' Harwell said. ``Arizona State gave it a good fight, but in the end I wanted to stay in L.A.''

Breazell is the third receiver to give the Bruins an oral commitment. He caught 57 passes for 1,043 yards and 16 touchdowns for Edison.

``I think we fulfilled all the needs we needed to fulfill, particularly with our interior positions,'' said Dorrell, who can't speak about individual players until receiving their letters of intent. ``I'm really excited about our future, and I think our future is bright with the players that we currently have and the players we have coming in.''

UCLA remains active with receiver Chris Vaughn of St. Thomas More Prep of Oakdale, Conn. Dorrell visited Vaughn last week, and the 6-foot-4, 205-pounder is expected to decide today from among Iowa, Notre Dame and UCLA.

However, this UCLA class was difficult for recruiting gurus to project. Rivals.com rated the class 29th in the nation and theinsiders.com ranks it 19th, second in the Pacific-10 Conference behind USC.

Traditionally, recruiting classes with a heavy emphasis on linemen, particularly on offense, don't rate highly.

In dire need of offensive-line help after the Bruins scored more than 20 points just once in 12 games, that position was the clear focus.

``This is a mysterious recruiting class,'' theinsiders.com recruiting analyst Tracy Pierson said. ``There are plenty of guys being labeled 'sleepers,' and since many of them are unknown it's hard to judge the potential of this class with any in recent UCLA history.''

UCLA received commitments from eight offensive lineman, including Santa Ana College product Marc Villafuerte, one of six junior college recruits to enroll in January. Villafuerte, La Mirada High's Shannon Tevaga, John T. Curtis High of River Ridge, La., product Aaron Meyer and Santa Ynez Valley Union High's Chris Joseph could vie for playing time.

Harwell highlights a group of five defensive-line commitments, another area of concentration since the Bruins had six seniors on the defensive line last season. Junior college product Kyle Morgan, who signed with Miami out of high school, is another defensive-end recruit who could figure heavily into next season.

``This is a recruiting class the UCLA fans aren't used to,'' rivals.com recruiting expert Rick Kimbrel said. ``It isn't filled with the usual highly rated players, but don't let that fool you. The Bruins have a solid class. It reminds me of the type of classes that Oregon built their program on.''

But one thing lacking from this class is the elite high school quarterback. UCLA missed out on several of the top quarterbacks but got a commitment from Patrick Cowan of St. John Bosco of Bellflower. Cowan, the brother of UCLA freshman receiver Joe, has a high upside after just one year as a starter.

Staff Writer Aram Tolegian contributed to this report.

Brian Dohn, [phone]

brian.dohn(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

box

Box:

COMMITMENTS