UCLA lands 5-star Holmes at Army Bowl

SAN ANTONIO – Outside of No. 1 Najee Harris, no recruitment at this week’s U.S. Army All-American Bowl created as much intrigue as that of five-star defensive back Darnay Holmes out of Calabasas, Calif. On Saturday, Holmes ended the suspense, announcing his commitment to Ohio State during the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

At the beginning of Army Bowl week Ohio State appeared to be the team with the most momentum for Holmes. As the week progressed, however, local programs USC and UCLA started to gain some of that momentum back as the appeal to play closer to home apparently grew.

UCLA had the most going for them in their pursuit of Holmes. The Bruins' defensive backs coach, Demetrice Martin, grew up with Holmes father and remains a close family friend. That connection was tough for any other school to match, and providing that level of comfort, not just for Holmes but his entire family, proved critical down the stretch. The Bruins also offered him the opportunity to play on both sides of the football

Holmes also had a Nebraska hat on the table when he made his announcement, and while the Cornhuskers were strong contenders throughout a majority of this recruitment, they faded behind the likes of Ohio State, USC and UCLA as decision time grew closer.