The commitment scoreboard is looking better for UCLA football

For a while, more football recruits had withdrawn their commitment to UCLA than the Bruins had left remaining on their secured list.

But a recent influx of new commitments — six since the beginning of August — has brought UCLA’s total back up to eight players in the 2017 class. (Recruits cannot make their commitments official until they enroll in January courses or sign a national letter of intent in February. )

The Bruins lost eight previously committed prospects during the spring and summer.

“People worry when you do get a rash of decommitments, as any fan base should, but I still think UCLA is in a great position recruiting wise,” said Mike Farrell, national recruiting director for rivals.com. “They just have to translate it onto the football field.”

Austin Burton, a quarterback from West Orange High in Winter Garden, Fla., announced Monday he had switched his commitment from Boston College to UCLA. The Bruins needed a quarterback after San Clemente High’s Jack Spears chose Duke over UCLA and USC.

Redland East Valley’s Jaelan Phillips committed to UCLA in April. He is considered among the nation’s top defensive linemen.

Jimmy Jaggers, a tight end from Roseville, chose UCLA among offers from Alabama, Florida, Michigan and USC.

A trio of offensive linemen — Ronald Rudd from Chaffey High, Kanan Ray from Sierra Canyon and Jaxson Kirkland from Jesuit in Portland, Ore. — also have committed.

And in the last month defensive backs Jaylan Shaw of Corona Centennial and Quentin Lake of Santa Ana Mater Dei picked UCLA while Chris Wilson from Hitchcock High in Texas withdrew his commitment.

In recent years under Jim Mora, who is in his fifth season as coach, UCLA has made its biggest recruiting impact during the season.

Last year, despite an 8-5 record that included losses to USC and Nebraska to end the season, the Bruins signed a 2016 class that was considered among the top 25 in the nation by several recruiting websites.

But closing signing day with a top-rated class this year could be a challenge after the Bruins did not meet or exceed expectations the past two seasons.

UCLA was expected to contend for a spot in the inaugural College Football Playoff in 2014 but finished the season at the Alamo Bowl. Last season, the Bruins started 4-0 but stumbled in unexpected losses to Arizona State and Washington State at the Rose Bowl.

“There are a lot of kids that are just at a point now like, ‘OK, I’m not going to just go to this school because it is my local school. I need to see progress, improvement, and I need to make sure my position is being coached well,’” said Greg Biggins, national recruiting analyst for Scout.com. “If you don’t win the Pac-12, if you don’t compete consistently for a title, eventually your recruiting is going to fall off.”

Mora acknowledged the importance of winning games, but said there are several other factors that contribute to a prospect’s decision. “These kids come to the games and feel the energy and they get around your players and see what the culture and climate are like,” Mora said.

UCLA, which was picked to win the Pac-12 Conference South Division in a preseason media poll, will open against Texas A&M at College Station, Texas, on Sept. 3. The Bruins will also travel to play Brigham Young, Arizona State, Washington State, Colorado and California. UCLA gets some of its toughest opponents at home at the Rose Bowl, where it will play host to Nevada Las Vegas, Stanford, Arizona, Utah, Oregon State and USC.

How the Bruins fare could impact the decisions of such prospects as Antioch (Calif.) running back Najee Harris, a longtime Alabama commit; Los Angeles Hawkins receiver Joseph Lewis; and defensive backs Darnay Holmes from Calabasas, Elijah Gates from Buena Park and Thomas Graham from Rancho Cucamonga, whom UCLA is continuing to recruit.

Here is a look at who is committed to UCLA’s 2017 class:

Player, position, high school

Austin Burton, quarterback, Winter Garden (Fla.) West Orange

Jaxson Kirkland, offensive lineman, Portland (Ore.) Jesuit

Kanan Ray, offensive lineman, Sierra Canyon

Ronald Rudd, offensive lineman, Chaffey

Jimmy Jaggers, tight end, Roseville

Jaelan Phillips, defensive lineman, Redlands East Valley

Jaylan Shaw, defensive back, Corona Centennial

Quentin Lake, defensive back, Santa Ana Mater Dei

lindsey.thiry@latimes.com

Twitter: @LindseyThiry