With the 2018 NFL Draft over, Go Joe Bruin looks ahead to the 2019 draft and the numerous UCLA football players that could hear their name called.
This year, eight UCLA football players got the call up to the pros and will begin their NFL careers. It was a great achievement for the program, but looking ahead to next season, it looks like the success will continue.
RELATED: UCLA Football – 2018 NFL Draft Recap
This season, despite the program’s shift from the Jim Mora to the Chip Kelly mindset, the Bruins have several payers that should excel in 2018, making a case for NFL teams to draft them in 2019.
Though the UCLA will move to a run-based spread offense with an aggressive defense, Go Joe Bruin looks at nine players that can make a splash next season, setting them up for success and a consideration for the draft.
So without further ado, in no particular order, here is who we have going pro…
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Andre James, OT
James has been slowly making his way through the ranks of the offensive line and last year he got his shot. Two seasons ago he was thrust into the line because of depth issues and injuries, which was more of a learning curve for him. Last year he looked to be a better fit on the line that made minor improvements with the rush offense and helped produce the 4th best passing offense.
James is very durable as he has experience at guard and tackle, but learning behind the likes of Kolton Miller, who was drafted 15th overall by the Oakland Raiders, will help him protect the edges, especially on the left side which he will be taking over this fall.
With his size and length, he should be able to protect the weak side as well as Miller, especially if he puts on some more mass. Either way, he is an up-and-coming lineman and should get some attention heading into the 2019 draft.
Rick Wade, DL
Wade has been patiently waiting behind the likes of Jacob Tuioti-Mariner (who just signed with the Atlanta Falcons). Learning from a guy that has pro potential is good for a player who has an equal amount of pro potential. Yet for those that have closely observed Wade have seen that he could potentially do a little bit more than JTM.
Wade is long, he is strong and he is about to get the friction on (thanks for the inspriation Sir Mix-A-Lot). Wade does not only have the ability to stop the run and plug gaps, but can also maneuver around line as a pass rusher. He had 33 tackles in 2018 with five for a loss. Expect that to increase as he works with the aggressive front that new DL coach Vince Oghobaase has implemented.
With this new style of coaching boosting him up, it should also boost his draft stock. Obviously, staying healthy is a concern, but he seems to be a DL that can put himself in the best position to be successful.
Caleb Wilson, TE
There is a reason UCLA fans are so excited for Wilson to get back on the field. Aside from the fact that he came out of nowhere in 2017, he was also dubbed the best tight end in the nation by Pro Football Focus. The only drawback is that he injured his foot six games in and is slowly recovering (he did not participate in spring, but is expected to be ready by fall).
UCLA had one of the best passing games in the nation last season and he was a huge reason why. If he did not get hurt, he could have had the most receiving yards on the team. Still, in only five games, he put up some impressive numbers: 490 receiving yards (4th on UCLA overall), 12.9 yards per catch (4th) and 98.0 yards per game (2nd).
Under Kelly, he should be one of the top targets in the passing game. At 6’4, 235 lbs., he will be able to take advantage of smaller defenders on the edge and will be tough to take down in the middle of the field (think Thomas Duarte 2.0). If you were not excited about the big TE before, you should be now.
Nate Meadors, CB
Even since he first stepped onto the field as an underclassman, Bruin fans knew there was something special about this lock down corner. During his first season, quarterbacks and receivers picked on him, but he never let up. If a ball was completed on his side of the field, he fought hard to not let it happen again.
Since then he has refined his skills and been one of the better corners in the Pac-12. He is not the fastest, but not the slowest either, but what should concern offenses is how physical he is in coverage and how big he can hit.
On top of that, he makes his presence felt all over the gridiron. Last season, he collected the fourth most tackles on the team with 55 (39 solo, 16 assisted), two of which went for a loss, plus a sack and one forced fumble. In the defensive backfield, he was a terror with a team-high 9 pass break ups and also hauled in one interception.
Under the tutelage of DB coach Paul Rhoads and the collective aggression of new defensive coordinator Jerry Azzinaro’s schemes, Meadors should thrive. Not only could he be the one of the top corners in the Pac-12, but in the nation. Yeah, I wrote it.
Keisean Lucier-South, LB
If Lucier-South is a name you do not recognize, first off, what’s wrong with you? And second, you will. The Bruin defense was bruised and beaten last season, especially among the linebackers. When EDGE rusher Jaelan Phillips went down with an ankle injury, KLS filled in nicely.
The good news about KLS is that he has been able to adapt to every situation and position he has been put in. He originally started out as a defensive end, then moved to a more dominant pass rushing position, but this season will put in some work as an outside linebacker. Though he will not be the primary rusher on the strong side, he has the tools to get in the backfield, though he will be a expected to remain in coverage.
The good thing about this is that he looks well suited to handle the duties of the OLB. He is quick, athletic, long and is developing some great field vision. Last season he accumulated 53 total tackles (5th on the team), 5.5 that went for a loss (3rd) and added one sack, two pass break ups, one QB hurry and one forced fumble… and that was on a defense that was not able to do much.
With the direction the new coaches want to go, this could be a very exciting season for KLS, one that will get him a lot of attention come draft time.
Bolu Olorunfunmi, RB
Despite the fact that UCLA had an atrocious run game last season (last two season, really), Olorunfunmi (and his counterpart Soso Jamabo) have the skills to be deadly weapons in the run game. Bolu is not necessarily a speedster, but he has enough leg power to get him down the field in a hurry.
His particular super power, which will make him stand out among the Bruin running backs, lies in his frame which is solid as a rock. During spring, it was evident that he was bulkier, though that has not taken away from his skills as he looks slightly quicker.
In previous seasons, Olorunfunmi has been known to rock players that try to tackle him, resulting in the defenders getting pushed back a few yards upon contact. It will be even more interesting to see how his game improves with his accumulated mass in Kelly’s offense. I fear for those that get in his way.
Last season Bolu had the most rushing yards on the team with 565. He also had 118 receiving yards, making him a dual-threat in his own right. From what we saw in spring, it looks like he will continue being part of both, which makes him multidimensional, which is something a few NFL teams might want to bring in.
Josh Woods, LB
UCLA’s linebacker depth became very thin, very fast midway through the 2017 season and Woods was one of the casualties. He sat out most of spring, but is still considered to be a top talent as he went through first-team walk-throughs, so by the time fall comes around, he should be ready to help anchor the linebackers.
Woods is a very athletic specimen and has the tools to thrive in Azzinaro’s aggressive defense. Last season, the Bruins played a bit more conservatively, so what the new coaches have in mind could definitely benefit Woods.
Woods has the skills to lock onto defenders in coverage, but can also be a misfit in the backfield. Last year, he had 3.5 tackles for a loss (30 total) with one sack. With the direction the defense is going, GJB expects those numbers to rise significantly. With that happening, he will turn heads at not just the college level, but could catch the eye of a few NFL teams that are looking for an active linebacker of his caliber.
Adarius Pickett, DB
When Bruin fans heard that Pickett was returning, a collective sigh was followed by “hell yeah!” One of the things that the former coaching staff could hang their hat on was the production of secondary. The coaches did well recruiting and developing DBs and Pickett is one of the Bruins that made UCLA’s secondary one of the best in the conference for consecutive years.
But what makes Pickett so special? Where to begin? He has great vision that has helped him to be one of the best cover defenders on the team. He also has the speed and size to stay with fast, tall receivers, but I pray for those pass catchers that happen to enter his area as they need to watch out because Pickett will lay down the boom. He is an excellent hitter that just knows how to make plays.
Last season, he was second on the team in total tackles with 85 (63 solo, 22 assisted). He only had three pass break ups and no interceptions, but do not let that deter you from the fact that he is an amazing defensive back, one that should go pretty high in the draft.
Soso Jamabo, RB
Like Olorunfunmi, Jamabo has so far had a less than stellar experience at UCLA. A combination of three OC styles in three years has not made his progression smooth.
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The RBs were also mishandled two seasons ago when Kennedy Polamalu was the OC who tried to implement a power-based offense. The result: one of the worst rushing offenses in the country. KP also had the tendency to pull RBs who had the hot hand, disallowing them to thrive and grow in not just a game, but the majority th season.
Last year, Jedd Fisch made improvements with the run game, but it still did not amplify the talents of the Bruins backs. But make no mistake, Jamabo can be an explosive player. He is not necessarily a back that should go up the middle (especially with a rickety O-line), as he is more suited for running around the edge.
When he gets into space, he can burn defenders with his elusiveness and speed. He can also double as a receiver (which I think we will see in Kelly’s offense) as he was the leader in reception yards by a running back with 204 yards (12.0 yards per catch).
As a back, he was second on the team in rushing with 463 yards and first in touchdowns with six. Not impressive numbers, but as stated before, a lot of that had to do with the change in offensive philosophy every year he has been in Westwood.
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Still, with the deception, improvements on the offensive line and generally better coaching, Jamabo should have a break out season which will get him the attention he deserves among NFL execs.