Now that the NFL Draft is over Go Joe Bruin looks ahead one year and predicts that 10 UCLA football players will be taken in 2020.
As far as the 2019 NFL Draft goes, it was somewhat disappointing for the UCLA football team. The Bruins only had one player drafted as TE Caleb Wilson was Mr. Irrelevant as he was the very last player drafted.
RELATED: UCLA Football’s Disappointing 2019 NFL Draft
Although, a total of five former Bruins made the jump to the pros as four were picked up as undrafted free agents. That is a better result, but looking toward next year, we can see up to ten Bruins not just making it to the pros, but being selected via the 2020 NFL Draft.
Joshua Kelley, RB
This fall, Kelley will embark on his senior season, and many expect him to have a better year than he did in 2018. Last year, he emerged as UCLA’s go-to running back in the fourth game of the season against Colorado when he ran for 124 yards. It was the first of six 100-yard rushing games Kelley would produce which culminated with 289 against USC (the most any Bruin or Trojan has put up in the history of the rivalry). He ended the season with 1,243 yards and 11 touchdowns. Those numbers should increase in 2019 as he becomes one of the best backs in the Pac-12 which will help him to become one of the highest drafted RBs in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Josh Woods, LB
Woods was expected to have a solid 2018 season, but that was cut short when he sustained a knee injury in fall camp. Though he was still sidelined for the spring, the expectations for him remain sky high. Woods was a very aggressive linebacker before Jerry Azzinaro, and Don Pellum got to town so, under their tutelage, he should be an even fiercer competitor. In 2017, he was able to get 30 total tackles, 3.5 TFLs, and one sack. In 2019, those numbers will go up dramatically and so will his draft stock.
JJ Molson, K
Molson is nearly automatic. Last season, the Bruins heavily relied on the kicker for points early in the season when the offense could barely get downfield. Though his field goal percentage dropped from 81.0% in 2017 to 73.7% in 2018 (a lot of this could be blamed on penalties and lousy field position), Molson was consistent. Molson can also hit long shots as he was 6/8 from between 40 and 49 yards. This season should only help his case as the offense will be better, but it will help take the pressure off of his leg, allowing him to take more stress-free kicks.
Darnay Holmes, CB
Holmes is one of two players on this list that is a junior which says a lot about what kind of player he is. Not only has he been a starter since his freshman year, but he has been one of the best playmakers on defense. He is solid in coverage, a hard hitter and one smart football player. Last season, he was 5th on the team in total tackles (48) and first in interceptions (3) and breakups (11). As one of the leaders of the defense, expect a big year from Holmes, one that could get him drafted high in 2020.
Keisean Lucier-South, LB
NFL teams are always looking for workhorses, and KLS is the epitome of this. With an abundance of exits and injuries last season, Lucier-South stepped up in a big way and put a lot of weight on his shoulders. Not only was he great in coverage and pursuit, but he became the team’s best pass rusher as he had 11.5 tackles for a loss and three sacks, both team highs. Though he missed the second part of Spring Practice due to academics, expect him to come back in the summer with a renewed focus for 2019.
Boss Tagaloa, C
Looking back at the 2018 season, the offensive line started to make massive improvements in Game 4. That was when Tagaloa returned from a 3-game suspension to anchor an OL in need of leadership. UCLA started the season unable to move the ball, but that task became more attainable with Tagaloa, a former defensive lineman, who was inserted into the line. In the first four games of the season, UCLA could only gain 311.3 yards. In their last four, that shot up to 485.5. With Tagaloa starting this season in the middle of the line, we should see more of the latter numbers throughout 2019.
Theo Howard, WR
Howard is a very talented receiver. Most Bruins fans knew this when he first joined the program. Unfortunately, he was often misused with the former coaching staff which kept him sidelined. Though his numbers have improved every season, 2019 should be the year where he breaks out. Howard had the second most receiving yards (677) behind Caleb Wilson last fall, and that should climb this fall as he will be the go-to receiver. Not only will he get close to 1,000 yards, but it should help him get drafted high in 2020.
Devin Asiasi, TE
Asiasi is the other junior on this list, albeit a redshirt. Not only does he have experience with multiple offenses (Michigan, Jedd Fisch’s offense, Chip Kelly‘s offense) which will help him adapt, but he has been very reliable. Though he only had six receptions for 130 yards, he averaged 21.7 yards per catch, the most on the team. With Wison moving on, Asiasi will be the premier tight end on the squad. With his role increasing, so do his chances of getting drafted in 2020.
Tyree Thompson, LB
Last year was Thompson’s first season with UCLA as he came in as a JUCO transfer. He did pretty darn well for a player that had less than a year of Power 5 football experience. Thompson finished the season with 55 total tackles (4th on the team) and six tackles for a loss (3rd on the team). This past spring, he picked up where he left off as he was one of the more active LBs. This fall, he should continue to put his talents on display and work his way into the 2020 NFL Draft.
Krys Barnes, LB
With the linebackers taking a big hit with injuries, many defenders stepped up, and one of the most impressive was Barnes. Last season, he had the most tackles of any returning defender (85) and was second in tackles for a loss (10) with one sack. That is good for stopping the run, but he was also a menace in pass defense as he collected one interception and six breakups.
With Barnes leading the middle of the field, expect his draft stock to grow as the season progresses.