Colorado's Top Recruit Just Closed the Door on Michigan, Auburn, and Two Other Power Programs
The college football recruiting calendar is heating up, and one of the biggest decisions of the 2027 cycle just dropped: Jackson Roper, the top-ranked prospect in Colorado, committed to UCLA on Friday. This wasn't a flip or a surprise announcement. This was a four-star interior offensive lineman shutting down a serious recruiting battle that included some of the biggest names in college football.
Who Is Jackson Roper?
We're talking about a 6-foot-4, 290-pound lineman from Englewood, Colorado, who ranks as the No. 15 interior offensive line prospect, No. 1 in Colorado, and No. 219 overall in the 2027 class. Roper put in work at two different high schools, starting his first two seasons at Regis Jesuit before transferring to Cherry Creek High School. He's played both ways, too, getting reps on both offensive and defensive lines over his first three seasons of high school football.
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UCLA offered Roper in late January, just two months after hiring Bob Chesney as their head coach. The Bruins have now landed the second offensive lineman to commit in the last month, and more importantly, Roper is the first four-star offensive lineman to join their class since Thomas Cole committed back in the 2021 cycle. That's a big get for the program.
But UCLA had to fight for this one. According to Rivals' Hayes Fawcett, four other Power Four programs were actively in the mix. Michigan offered Roper way back in September 2025 and got him to visit for spring practice in April, but he never committed to an official summer visit. Auburn didn't even start pushing until after they fired Hugh Freeze, offering him in early February. Roper visited Auburn for spring practice in March but also passed on scheduling an official visit there.
In the end, UCLA won out. Four programs got the bad news. And Roper is heading to Westwood.
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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.