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UCLA Football 2018: Projecting the Depth Chart – Linebackers

By Mike Regalado

PASADENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 03: Jacob Tuioti-Mariner
PASADENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 03: Jacob Tuioti-Mariner /
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PASADENA, CA – SEPTEMBER 30: Steven Montez #12 of the Colorado Buffaloes passes over the defense of Josh Woods #2 and Boss Tagaloa #75 of the UCLA Bruins during the first half of a game at the Rose Bowl on September 30, 2017 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA – SEPTEMBER 30: Steven Montez #12 of the Colorado Buffaloes passes over the defense of Josh Woods #2 and Boss Tagaloa #75 of the UCLA Bruins during the first half of a game at the Rose Bowl on September 30, 2017 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

Inside Linebackers

  1. Josh Woods, 6-2, 235, Sr.
  2. Je’Vari Anderson, 5-11, 229, Jr.
  3. Lokeni Toailoa, 6-1, 240, Jr.
  4. Winston Anawalt, 5-11, 205, R-Fr.

***NOTE: Since the publication of this article, Josh Woods has been ruled out for the season because of a knee injury sustained in practice.

Josh Woods is another player that was bitten by the injury bug in 2017. The athletic defender only played seven games last season due to a shoulder injury, but now he is back and ready to show Bruin fans what he is made of.

Woods is very active and mindful of what is in front of him. He has a solid defensive foundation and has good tackling technique. Fans should also be aware that he is quite speedy, which could be a useful tool when trying to get into the backfield.

Je’Vari Anderson may be a junior, but he is another new addition to the team. As a junior college transfer, Anderson committed to the Bruins back in February and joined the team for the second half of spring practice and made the most of every minute. Anderson quickly took to the inside LB spot and portrayed the aggressive tendencies that the defensive coaches require. Though he has a small frame, he plays like he is twice his size.

Though Lokeni Toailoa had a lot of potential coming into the program, he has not seen a lot of the field. Last season he played in 11 games but was only able to collect 18 total tackles, though he did play a lot of reserve time. If the coaching staff can get him up to speed and make him the player they need, he could be a viable tool in the of this group.