UCLA Football: Post spring practice projected 2-deep depth chart

Mike Regalado

PASADENA, CA - NOVEMBER 24: Devon Modster

The UCLA football team is done with spring and will be reconvening in the fall. Though it is several months away, Go Joe Bruin looks at the potential 2-deep depth chart for what we might see this fall.

The UCLA football team is one step closer to coming together after the end of spring. With the Spring Game taking place this past weekend, we got to see a little bit of what head coach Chip Kelly wants to do with this team and that includes the depth chart.

Though the roster is far from complete (the Bruins have a lot of talented freshmen coming in the fall) and Kelly is far from analyzing the players on this program, we can only speculate about what the depth chart will be this September… and that is exactly what we did.

Here is our 2-deep projected depth chart for this fall. Taking into consideration what we saw in the Spring Game, the injured players that should return and the in-coming players, this is a quite possibly what we could see on September 1 at the Rose Bowl against Cincinnati.

Quarterbacks

QB: Devon Modster or Matt Lynch or Austin Burton or Wilton Speight or Dorian Thompson-Robinson

I know this is a 2-deep depth chart, but if you have been paying attention, the Bruins have several players that could lead the offense this fall.

In spring, Modster, Lynch, Burton and Jackson Gibbs (with the talent of the other players, we probably won’t see Gibbs play a big role in the QB Battle Royale) all competed for time with the first team offense. Modster had the most with Lynch “backing him up”, so it seemed as though both might have solidified their spots, at least as a heavy consideration for the starting role.

Then the Spring Game happened and both had less than stellar performances.

The one who did not have a substandard performance was Burton who did a good job running the offense, both on the ground and through the air. Though he showed that he is a viable option as the #1 QB, he pretty much made Kelly’s decision much harder, especially when you consider that Speight and DTR are going to make this QB competition one of the most intriguing in the country.

Speight won the QB battle at Michigan the last two years, though a spine injury ended his season early with the Wolverines (he has apparently recovered and is good to go). His college football experience, which is the most among all the UCLA QBs, will help the Bruins start the Chip Kelly era, but that does not mean he has locked down the position.

Then there is DTR, the dual-threat QB that could be the future of UCLA, but right now, he has not yet taken a snap in a Bruin jersey, not even a practice jersey. Though he has the talent to run Kelly’s run-based offense, he has to prove himself against the four other QBs.

SEATTLE, WA – OCTOBER 28: Running back Bolu Olorunfunmi

Running Backs

RB: Bolu Olorunfunmi, Soso Jamabo

UCLA is going to have a lot of running backs to choose from and all of them could get playing time, but the two that should get the most minutes are the two vets that have been leading the running game the last two years.

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Yes, the run game has been non-existent, but that really is not the fault of Olorunfunmi and Jamabo. Both have experience, they just need an properly offensive line cooperate behind, which is slowly improving under Kelly.

Though these two might get the most reps, let us not count out transfer Josh Kelley who stepped up his game this spring and pushed the vets for minutes. There is also Brandon Stephens who has been a very elusive and athletic ball carrier. But then the Bruins get two speedsters this fall with Martell Irby and Kazmeir Allen coming to town, the latter of which is one of the fastest players to sign with the Bruins this last signing day.

Though Allen needs a few practices to get up to speed with Kelly’s offense, he could surprise people. If he can master what Kelly is trying to do, then there is the possibility that he can jump into one of the top two spots. Seriously, if you haven’t seen this kid, he is a lightning bolt. Last season, he broke the national high school football record for touchdowns in a season with 72. In. A. Season.

Receivers and Tight Ends

WR: Theo Howard, Audie Otomosho

WR: Christian Pabico, Demetric Felton

WR: Dymond Lee, Chase Cota

TE: Caleb Wilson, Devin Asiasi

Though the offense will be run-based, Kelly is going to utilize several talented receivers. From what we saw in practice and the Spring Game, Howard, Pabico and Lee have been the most consistent. Howard is clearly the #1 WR. He has great hands, is elusive and quick, which should help the Bruins move the ball down the field efficiently through the air. Pabico, though still a walk-on, continues to be one of the most consistent receivers on the team. Lee, a former QB, has also stepped up his game and has been quite impressive in Spring.

Otomosho is another receiver with good hands, but he was injured in the spring. Still, his talents are hard to ignore and should get a lot of minutes next season. Felton has also been impressive and can double as an RB, making him a very effective weapon. Cota is just a freshman, but he is the prototypical Kelly WR. He is big, smart and has good hands. He even had the first passing touchdown of the Spring Game.

One of the players Bruins fans can not wait to return is Wilson who was golden for the Bruins last season who some dubbed the best TE in the nation. Unfortunately his season was cut short with a foot injury, which he is still recovering from, but should be the #1 TE this fall. Asiasi has also been impressive and will be a good 1-2 punch with Wilson, but the Bruins could have a 1-2-3 punch with Jordan Wilson who backed up Caleb last season.

Offensive Line

LT: Andre James, Jax Wacaser

LG: Josh Wariboko-Alali, Chris Murray

C: Boss Tagaloa, Zach Sweeney

RG: Michael Alves, Alex Akingbulu

RT: Jake Burton, Alec Anderson

The offensive line is one of the position groups that needs a lot of work and there has been progress, but they still have a long way to go. The Bruins were able to put together two functional lines for the Spring Game, but it was clear there is a lot of work to be done. They were pushed around and allowed defenders to get in the backfield way too often, but there were also signs of hope as they helped the offense execute zone read and RPO plays that advanced the ball for 10+ yards on a few occasions.

Still, what they have now is a shell of what we will see in the fall, especially those in backup roles. The Bruins needed a few walk-ons to fill the lines for the Spring Game, but they get help this fall as they get four freshman to help out, two of which could step in and help immediately.

The thing that hurts the line the most is the fact that they lose potential NFL Draftees C Scott Quessenberry and LT Kolton Miller. This is in addition to the fact that the Bruins had one of the worst running games in the country. Luckily, they have some experience, but are still young. We also have to take into account that the coaches needed to move former DL Boss Tagaloa over to the other side and is competing with Sweeney for the starting spot. It hasn’t been smooth, but they are doing serviceable work. Let’s just hope it gets better in the fall.

The line will benefit from the experience of James, Wariboko-Alali and Alves, who have a lot of experience, but need to come together with Burton to really show some progress. Luckily, they have a few other players that have experience, but need more time to mesh. Murray and Anderson have the tools to help out, which might come sooner than later as the coaches might need due to the thinned out depth.

COLLEGE STATION, TX – SEPTEMBER 03: Jermaine Eluemunor

Defensive Line

DE: Rick Wade, Marcus Moore

DT: Ose Odighizuwa, Moses Robinson-Carr

DE: Chigozie Nnoruka, Martin Andrus

So where does a defensive line go that has helped contribute to one of the worst run defenses last season? Up.

The systematic change from “bend but don’t break” that former DC TomBradley used to the “violent” nature that new DL coach Vince Oghobaase is using to aid new DC Jerry Azzinaro’s aggressive defense is taking its time to come together, but from what we saw in spring, it is going to be very fun to watch this fall.

Wade is the old guy in the group and his experience will be necessary to help lead this line move forward. They appeared to have issues with depth as Matt Dickerson and Jacob Tuioti-Mariner have graduated, but the implementation of the 3-4 scheme helped that out a bit, though the Bruins could give a few different looks on the line, especially with the EDGE DE/OLB position being a key role.

Odighizuwa and Nnoruka have a lot of experience and showed some progress last season and this spring, so it seems like a natural fit having them start. They also have several good backups, who wouldn’t surprise anyone if they take over a starting role. Moore has been very aggressive and is starting to standout and hopefully has a breakout year in 2018. Robinson-Carr has been a surprise as he is a converted TE and has flourished on the defensive line since moving over eight weeks ago. Andrus is a younger player, but one that is showing a lot of potential.

Linebackers

EDGE: Jaelan Phillips, Mique Juarez

ILB: Josh Woods, Brandon Burton

ILB: Krys Barnes, Tyree Thompson

OLB: Keisean Lucier-South, Rahyme Johnson

The EDGE position is a hybrid DE/OLB spot. Though they will be required to man the outside, their primary responsibility will be to try to get into the back field and bring down quarterbacks and running backs.

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The EDGE is Phillips’ position to lose. He did not participate in spring practice due to a wrist injury stemming from a scooter accident. He will still be out a few months, but should be ready to take back his role from last season. Behind him is Mique Juarez who was moved from the middle of the group to the outside, though his progress is in question as he was injured in the last few weeks of spring and was not seen on the sidelines.

Woods is another player that has been injured and missed spring, but should retain his position in the middle of the pack as the defense will need his experience. He should be paired with Barnes who impressed during spring as he was becoming one of the more active LBs.

The big dog in this pack is KLS who, like Phillips, has been left with the responsibility to guard the outside. Though he won’t be attacking the backfield as much as the EDGE rusher, he has the ability to quickly get behind the line of scrimmage and mess things up for offenses. Add to that his innate ability to cover the field and the Bruins have a very dangerous weapon on hand.

Burton and Johnson have been making progress as backups, but the player to watch is Thompson who came to Westwood during the second part of spring practice as a JUCO transfer and immediately made an impact, often running with the first team defense. Though he needs some more time to assimilate into the system, he is already making a statement.

PASADENA, CA – OCTOBER 21: Braxton Burmeister

Defensive Backs

CB: Darnay Holmes, Elijah Gates

S: Quentin Lake, Jaylan Shaw

S: Adarius Pickett, Will Lockett

CB: Nate Meadors, Mo Osling III

The secondary lost several key players (Jaleel Wadood – graduation, DeChaun Holiday – left program, Denzel Fisher – left the program) and almost lost Lockett and Octavius Spencer.

Losing three players was a serious blow to the depth of the defensive backs, but losing two more would have had the secondary struggling. One of the few highlights from the Jim Mora era was the DBs who were consistently one of the best groups in the Pac-12 on a yearly basis.

Luckily, they get to hold onto some of that, especially with Pickett, Meadors and Holmes bringing consistency and leadership to the group. Holmes and Meadors could be one of the best corner tandems in the conference as both are very talented and have the experience to go along with it. Their ability to lock down the sides is impeccable so they should continue to terrorize opponent’s passing game.

Pickett is a big hitter and a veteran that the Bruins need at the safety spot. The coaches had a few walk-ons help out because of depth, but having Pickett back their is a huge relief. Lake has come out of nowhere and been a reliable defender in the secondary. He continues to show growth and should help the UCLA DBs continue to be one of the best in the Pac.

Shaw, Gates and Osling could essentially start if it weren’t for the vets in their way, but to have them backing up the secondary is a big gain for Azzinaro.

Special Teams

K: J.J. Molson, Adam Straunch

P: Stefan Flintoft, Austin Kent

LS: Johnny Den Bleyker

This is essentially the depth special teams had last season. All of these players came into the program about the same time and have grown with each other so one should expect the specialists to continue their success, if not improve under the new regime.

Molson is still the top choice for kickoffs, extra points and field goals. Last season he made marked improvements and should be clutch when called upon this coming season. Straunch has been a reliable backup, but who knows if we will see him on the field in 2018.

Flintoft overthrew Kent as the starter under Mora and was deadly manning the punting game. He was able to repeatedly pin balls inside the 20 yard line, giving the defense room to breathe. He has kept that consistency in spring as he is expected retain the starting spot. As for Den Belyker, well, when you are solid at your position, you really don’t need a backup.

Final Word

Remember, these are just projections. What we see in the fall could be completely different from what we see here, but looking at the progression and development of certain players, some these predictions seem to be a lock.

But remember, there are still lot of freshmen that are coming in this fall and they were all hand picked by Kelly as they are players that he believes can help execute his game plan. They are long and fast and will help boost the Bruins efforts.

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

Still, what Kelly has at has disposal can help turn the UCLA football program around. Though they have several things to work on (perfecting the offense is a big one), they are on the right path. Go Bruins!

Mike Regalado

Editor of GoJoeBruin.com. Lover of animals, collector of vinyl and fan of UCLA Bruins and L.A. Kings. FWAA member.