UCLA football is buzzing again, and it's not just the fans who are taking notice. The Bruins, under new head coach Bob Chesney, have stormed into the Top 10 for the 2027 recruiting class—a dramatic turnaround after a few lackluster cycles under DeShaun Foster. The energy shift is palpable, and it's caught the attention of one of UCLA's all-time greats: former linebacker Anthony Barr.

Barr, a Los Angeles native who played for the Bruins from 2010 to 2013 before being drafted ninth overall by the Minnesota Vikings, couldn't help but chime in on social media. When a list of the top 2027 recruiting classes popped up, showing UCLA sitting pretty at No. 4—behind only Oklahoma, Texas A&M, and USC—Barr tweeted, "This reminds me of something." It's a nod to his own recruiting class of 2010, which ranked No. 10 in the nation. Back then, the payoff took time: the Bruins went 4-8 in 2010 and 6-8 in 2011 before breaking through with a 9-5 season in 2012 and a 10-3 finish capped by a Sun Bowl win in 2013. Now, with Chesney at the helm, the hope is that the turnaround won't take as long.

Chesney, who led James Madison to the College Football Playoffs from the Sun Belt Conference, has already injected new life into the program. His arrival has reinvigorated donors, and the decision to keep UCLA at the Rose Bowl for at least another season has quieted rumors of a forced move to SoFi Stadium. The Bruins have their swagger back, and it's showing on the recruiting trail. With a wave of transfers coming in for the 2026 season, the expectation is that this team won't need two years to find its footing. For fans and former stars like Barr, the future is looking bright in Westwood.