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UCLA Football: Projecting the 2017 depth chart-Defensive Line

By Michael Chavez

PASADENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 06: Head coach Jim Mora of the UCLA Bruins prepares his team to take the field for their season opening game against the Memphis Tigers at Rose Bowl on September 6, 2014 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 06: Head coach Jim Mora of the UCLA Bruins prepares his team to take the field for their season opening game against the Memphis Tigers at Rose Bowl on September 6, 2014 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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DT Depth Chart

This defensive tackle position operates more as a penetrator than as a space eater. You need a quick up the field guy to take advantage of the double teams that your NT commands and this UCLA Football team has more than a few guys capable of that.

  1. Matt Dickerson, #99, 6’5″, 295lbs., Sr.
  2. Nick Terry, #94, 6’3″, 295lbs., R-Sr.
  3. Osa Odighizuwa, #92, 6’2″, 285lbs., R-Fr.

UCLA Football fans have gotten more and more opportunities to see Dickerson the past few seasons. Large framed and svelte, Dickerson would seem to be more at home as a 3-4 DE where he could use his frame and length to keep blockers at bay. He did however see plenty of time at DT for the Bruins last year and will surely get the nod to start the season. My only issue with Dickerson is that because he’s taller, he needs to focus keeping his pad level lower. When he loses leverage it’s very obvious in both the run and pass game.

Nick Terry is a former Boise St. transfer who saw plenty of action with the Broncos before going the JC route. He has the requisite size and sneaky quickness to be an up the field penetrator but needs to be more consistent in his hand usage. The Bruins will rely on him a ton in 2017 so we will get to see truly how capable Terry is.

Osa doesn’t have his brother’s size but does have his work ethic. A weight room lover and a former wrestler, Osa understands leverage and has the strength to take advantage of it. He can stay low and drive his man back into the QB but doesn’t have the frame that can carry more than 300 pounds successfully. Still, he should become a valuable interior pass rusher for the Bruins in time.