UCLA offers Wheaton North's Graham

Add UCLA to the growing list of major college programs pursuing Wheaton North quarterback Taylor Graham.

Bruins head coach Rick Neuheisel extended a scholarship offer to the 6-4, 215-pound junior on Saturday after Graham visited the school.

“[Neuheisel] said ‘We want you to know we like you a lot … keep in contact with us and we’ll get this thing going,’ ’’ Graham said.

Graham, a pro-style quarterback, also has offers from Iowa, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Arkansas and Duke. He also recently received an offer from Colorado.

His latest offer came just weeks after UCLA offensive coordinator Norm Chow stopped by Wheaton North to see his film and talk with Falcons' coach Joe Wardynski.

“Most of the offers I have right now would be good situations for me,” Graham said. “I think a pro-style system would best fit my abilities. I think UCLA is one of those.”

The most impressive thing is that Graham has garnered attention from schools despite missing five games last season with a broken ankle.

“I was actually pretty surprised I got any offers,” said Graham, whose father Kent was a NFL quarterback and a former Sun-Times Player of the Year. "I was kind of prepared to hit up as many camps as I could.

"As the May evaluation period went on, I got a lot of good feedback from coaches. They liked what they saw on my tape and thought I had a lot of good potential. I guess they like my character.”

Is UCLA too far for Graham?

"I'm a Midwestern boy," he said. "But a three-hour drive or a four-hour flight isn't a big difference to me. I just want to go where I fit in best."