UCLA Football: Projecting the 2017 depth charts – Linebackers

Weakside Linebacker Depth Chart

1. Josh Woods, #2, 6’2″, 240 lbs., Jr.
2. Breland Brandt, #55, 6’4″, 225 lbs., Fr.
3. Leni Toailoa, #20, 6’1″, 230 lbs., R-Fr.
4. Brandon Burton, #3, 6’0″, 200 lbs., So.

On the other side, Woods looks like he will be called upon to take over on the weakside. He racked up a lot of time on the field last season and even managed to get six starts under his belt.

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Woods is an emerging player that might have slipped under the radar for some Bruins’ fans last season, but what you might have missed was an athlete that is really coming into his own. Woods is not just becoming a physical LB, but also a very heady football player. This season he will build off of his 26 total tackles (1.5 for a loss) as he is paired with Young and Holiday.

Behind him, Woods has a few guys that have little experience, but have a ton of potential. Brandt’s time at UCLA has started with a few injuries. This spring he suffered a concussion, but appears to be ready for fall. He is a very physical player that would be a good backup to Woods.

Leni Toailoa has had a slow start as a Bruin, but his production in spring showed that he is starting to develop and could see decent minutes this fall. Burton is another converted DB, which helps with the LB depth. He saw a little bit of action in 2016, though mostly on special teams.

Potential Starting Linebackers

OLB DeChaun Holiday – MLB Kenny Young – OLB Josh Woods

The UCLA Football team always puts together a tough defense and though the linebackers have few numbers, they are also a group to be feared, especially when Holiday, Young and Woods lead the charge. Though fans might be worried about lack of experience, keep in mind that White has done a good job recruiting and developing his group.

Next: The Top 30 UCLA Football Players of All-Time

Stay with Go Joe Bruin as we continue our depth chart projections in the coming weeks. Next time we project the defensive backs.