UCLA Football: Grading the 2017 Bruin starting wide receivers

Next we move onto the perimeter receivers. I’m going to start with Jordan Lasley.

Through this first few seasons for the Bruins, Lasley was hype machine. In practice he’d make great catches and from his own mouth he’d tell you he was the best. However that never carried over onto the field. That is until last year.

If you look at the production Lasley had 10 catches for 109 yards and zero scores in the first four games. Those numbers don’t have anyone jumping out of their seats but that isn’t the end of his 2016.

In the last eight games Lasley went off like gangbusters collecting 31 catches for 511 yards and five scores. That’s just over 16 yards per catch and he averaged a score every 6.2 catches.

However against the Trojans he only came down with two catches even though they both were touchdowns.

Lasley is well built, six-foot-one and 205 pounds, and has breakaway speed however he too has dealt with drops. He cleaned that up a ton in 2016 but there were still instances of those drops showing up at inopportune times.

He’s best in the intermediate passing game where he can use his speed and quick feet to create separation. He’s demonstrated the ability to be strong at the catch point and taken balls away from defenders

Going into the 2017 UCLA Football season Lasley gets his starting QB back but actually had his best production with backup Mike Fafaul. Rosen on the other hand gets a receiver who is riding momentum into the new season which is something he didn’t have in 2016. I’m giving this position a B.