Four-star offensive lineman Stephan Zabie committed to UCLA on National Signing Day on ESPNU.

UCLA got an early morning present on National Signing Day last Wednesday when four-star offensive lineman Stephan Zabié put on his UCLA hat at about 6 a.m. PT on ESPNU.

Zabié was UCLA’s only new Signing Day commit as the rest of the 18-man class had previously announced their commitments before signing on Feb. 1.

Head coach Jim Mora described the recruiting of the 6-foot-6, 290-pound offensive lineman was “fast and furious,” as Zabié didn’t get an offer from the Bruins until Jan. 18. UCLA hadn’t even hired its offensive line coach when Zabié took his official visit to campus.

However, the Bruins were able to keep the prospect away from in-state Texas with the help of new offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch. Mora said Fisch was critical in landing Zabié as the coach had a previous relationship with the player and his family.

Zabié is both an intriguing and important pick up for the Bruins. Bolstering an offensive line that suffered from injuries and depth issues was of utmost importance. Zabié was one of five offensive linemen to sign last Wednesday. Continue reading “How UCLA landed four-star OL Stephan Zabié” »