UCLA Football Spring Practice Preview – Defensive Backs

Here is the final Spring Practice preview for the UCLA Football team as we analyze the experienced and fully loaded defensive backs.

If there was a bright spot on the defense last season it had to be the defensive backs. The Bruins were first in the Pac-12 in passing defense, only allowing 203.2 yards per game, which came from a mixture of both upperclassman experience and talented youth.

The secondary was one of the few units on this Bruin team that was very deep which is good going into spring as they look to further utilize that depth.

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The only question is how are these players going to be usee with the change in the base defense?

The UCLA football defense will be switching from a 3-4 to a 4-3 formation,  which directly affects the defensive line and linebackers.  The defensive backs, not so much, but don’t think that will stop Defensive Coordinator Tom Bradley from switching things up.

With the Bruins having seven guys in the box, four spots remain in the secondary and UCLA can go the traditional two cornerback, two safety set up.

But the Bruins also have experience with a nickel defense so it is possible they continue to use elements of the NB position with a linebacker/defensive back hybrid player. With that in mind…

Projected Depth Chart

Nickelback: Ishmael Adams (5’8″, 180 lbs.), John Johnson (5’9″, 180 lbs.)

Cornerback: John Johnson, Fabian Moreau (6’0″, 200 lbs.), DeChaun Holiday (6’2″, 220 lbs.)

Safety: Jaleel Wadood (5’10”, 175 lbs.), Adarius Pickett (5’11”, 190 lbs. ), Leni Toailoa (6’1″, 190 lbs.)

Safety: Randall Goforth (5’10”, 190 lbs.), Tahaan Goodman (6’2″, 195 lbs.), Octavius Spencer (5’11”, 170 lbs.)

Cornerback: Marcus Rios (6’0″, 185 lbs.), Nathan Meadors (6’0″, 190 lbs.), Denzel Fisher (6’1″, 185 lbs.), Colin Samuel (6’2″, 195 lbs.)

To tackle this massive unit, let us go position by position, starting with one that we are not even sure will exist this season, the nickel back.

Adams regressed after being suspended for the start of the season and never looked the same when he was back on the field. If the nickel is used, expect Adams to build himself back up here. If not, he can return as one of the corners, but it will be tight here.

UCLA Bruins

The Bruins could be deepest at cornerback. Rios will be back for his final year and help lead this experienced unit. On the other side, John Johnson emerged as a very good pass defender (if he is not up for the nickel spot) and will challenge graduate Moreau.

Moreau is returning after missing half of last season due to injury, so he might have a lighter spring practice to get back up to speed. That is both bad and good as it is possible we will not be able to see all of his talents so he can fully rehabilitate himself, but at he same time, giving younger players a chance to catch up.

Rios was solid last season and had the highest number of tackles among all returning DBs and added 7 pass breakups. He emerged as one of the biggest pass defenders in 2015. Meadors is another young player that burst onto the scene late and showed he had very good instincts and insight for a freshman. Look for Meadors to battle for a starting role.

Wadood and Goforth are with out a doubt the two starting players deep in the secondary. Both have multiple years of experience, they know the system and are the top two tacklers in the secondary (and respectively third and fourth overall on the team).

Goodman has been another player that has not developed on schedule, yet has had plenty of experience. Pickett is a very smart player, but has not yet had a chance to show what he can do on the field. A combination of depth, position change and development have all added to his slow progress, though he should make some noise in the spring.

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In all it appears as the secondary is set and will have very few changes. The focus for the spring seems to be getting a lot of the younger players up to speed so that the Bruins can continue to be a lock down pass defending squad for seasons to come.