OT Weston Hicks commits to UCLA on official visit
The first visit to Los Angeles for 2027 offensive tackle Weston Hicks will not be his last, but it will be his one and only official visit after giving his commitment to UCLA this weekend.
The Avon (Conn.) Avon Old Farms three-star recruit told Bruin Report Online that he informed head coach Bob Chesney and offensive line coach Chris Smith of his decision late Saturday night and will be shutting down his recruitment. Hicks originally had visits planned to Texas Christian and Virginia Tech in June.
“Coach Chesney and his staff have a good thing going and the culture surrounding UCLA is something special,” Hicks told BRO about the deciding factors. “I’m shutting it down, first and last OV.”
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The Bruins, who entered Sunday with the nation’s No. 12 recruiting class in the Rivals rankings, now have 20 commits. Hicks is the third offensive lineman to join the group and first tackle, making up for Jackson Hill‘s flipped commitment to Notre Dame more than two weeks ago.
Hicks is ranked 732nd overall and No. 52 at his position in the Rivals Industry national rankings, a weighted average of the three major recruiting services. Rivals has the 6-foot-6, 305-pounder listed with an 86 grade and slotted 84th at the position.
What Hicks experienced on his OV
Hicks, a Tennessee native before relocating to the northeast, said highlights of the trip included the Southern California experience. There was a visit to the Griffith Observatory for the view of the iconic Hollywood sign and an evening in a beach house that the program rented out in Santa Monica.
“I enjoyed both of those a lot,” Hicks said.
As for the time spent on campus, his hosts were freshman offensive lineman Cooper Javorsky and player personnel analyst Trey Lane. Hicks added a goat emoji to express how highly he thought of Lane’s hospitality on the visit.
Hicks noted “a good community surrounding UCLA” while learning about what life is like as a student-athlete from his future teammate.
“I plan to make the most of it when I get to Westwood,” Hicks said.
Time with UCLA coaches
The 1-on-1 meetings with Chesney and Smith, where the nitty gritty about player development was discussed and connections on a deeper level were made, checked the boxes for Hicks.
He told BRO heading into the trip that the way both coaches operate and run the program would be one of his most important factors and help reveal what the team culture is like.
“The energy and the care for the kids and program is unmatched in what I’ve seen so far,” Hicks said.
In the offensive line meeting room, Hicks was impressed with the details Smith explained in what’s required to develop into a future NFL prospect.
Hicks touted Smith’s knowledge and past experience as an assistant offensive line coach for the New York Giants.
“Talking with coach Smith, I understand he knows how to develop a kid to become an NFL prospect,” Hicks said. “He spent time observing the process to becoming a NFL guy from the NFL side of things so he knows what he’s talking about.”