Chip Kelly has landed a highly coveted defensive lineman in Tyler Manoa. The 6-5, 294 defensive tackle is a four-star recruit from St. Francis High School in Mountain View, CA.
Tyler Manoa Signs With UCLA
Manoa was first team All-Bay Area News Group and is ranked as the 26th best defensive tackle recruit in the country according to 247Sports. He is tall, agile and has good pursuit skills. He also has the frame to add about 10 more pounds at the next level. With new defensive coordinator Jerry Azzinaro’s history of using a hybrid 3-4/4-3 defense that relies heavily on athleticism, Manoa can see early playing time.
Manoa had 17 offers, including one from most of the Pac 12, as well as Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin. He was thought to be headed to Utah, but last Friday he had an in-home visit from Kelly and Azzinaro. Whatever was said in that meeting worked, because by Saturday afternoon, Manoa was committing to UCLA. Tight ends coach Angus McClure had been recruiting him for the past year.
He is the fourth defensive lineman signed in this UCLA class. The defensive line figures to be young and athletic with the likes of Manoa and fellow new signee Elijah Wade joining Jalean Philips, Greg Rogers, Boss Tagaloa, and Keisean Lucier-South. The latter two are rising juniors. The rest will be true sophomores or freshmen.
