SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- After playing in the 2015 US Army All-American Bowl last Saturday at the Alamodome, San Marcos (Calif.) Missions Hills cornerback DeChaun Holiday is finally ready to fully turn his attention toward recruiting.
DeChaun Holliday on UCLA: ‘I can definitely see myself there’
A National Signing Day decision will come down to four finalists for the nation’s No. 6 cornerback.
When Holiday spoke with SB Nation Recruiting after the event, he said that his list of four finalists includes Arizona State, Oregon, UCLA and Washington.
The 6’3, 195-pounder hasn’t really had a prototypical recruitment -- due to what he called a “strenuous” senior season on the gridiron, he wasn’t able to take any official visits during the fall, though he has taken past unofficial visits to each of his finalists.
A big visit remaining for Holiday is to Arizona State. Since the nation’s No. 70 player in the 247Sports Composite rankings was unsure about any other official visits before he makes his decision, the Sun Devils could be the only program among his finalists to host Holiday in January.
“I’m looking for anything that I didn’t catch the last time I was there. It’s a great place, great kids,” he said of his Jan. 16 visit. “The coaches are great as well.”
It may be hard to unseat hometown UCLA, however, as Holiday admitted that he grew up a fan of the Bruins.
“They’re a great team and I can definitely see myself there.”
For the first time in years, head coach Jim Mora Jr. has brought winning ways back to Westwood, but Holiday’s interest hasn’t necessarily picked up in the local program as a result.
“I want to go to a program that I can help get a winning streak as well as start a new one,” he said.
Family ties to the Seattle area -- Holiday calls Huskies freshman cornerback Sydney Jones his cousin -- helped provide some initial interest in the Huskies that has grown as a result of strong relationships with head coach Chris Petersen and his staff.
As for Oregon? Holiday called it a “great program” and said that he bonded with members of the coaching staff there, too. His host on his unofficial visit was cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, who told Holiday good things about the Ducks program.
The biggest factor in his decision is going to be which school has the best education for his major. He plans on studying kinesiology in college. In 2010, Arizona State was the only school among his four finalists to field a kinesiology program in the top 40 nationally.
Seeing chemistry between coaches and players will also play a role in Holiday’s choice, as well as whether he can see himself at the school, a statement that would seem to bode well for UCLA.
Holiday said that he plans on making his decision on National Signing Day, which falls on Feb. 4 this year. UCLA is the runaway leader in his 247Sports Crystal Ball, which currently sits at 94 percent in favor of the Bruins. And despite the presence of three other finalists on his list, none of those schools have received any predictions in his Crystal Ball.
