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UCLA Football 2019: Position Group Preview – Receivers and Tight Ends

By Mike Regalado

BOULDER, CO - SEPTEMBER 28: Theo Howard #14 of the UCLA Bruins runs with the ball against the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field on September 28, 2018 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
BOULDER, CO - SEPTEMBER 28: Theo Howard #14 of the UCLA Bruins runs with the ball against the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field on September 28, 2018 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
(Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

Slot Receiver

  1. Kyle Phillips (R-Fr) 5’11, 180
  2. Michael Ezeike (So) 6’5, 220
  3. Josiah Norwood (Fr) 5’10, 165
  4. Hudson Habermebl (Fr, Walk-on) 6’8, 195

Phillips returns after playing four games last season before being sidelined for the season due to a concussion. In those four games, he showed off his gifts and was able to help UCLA to earned some extra yards, but those yards will be a lot more plentiful this season. Now that he’s back to 100%, he should be one of the more affective wide receivers coming off the line.

Ezeike, to me, is a fullback version of a wide receiver. Not only is he big, tall and strong, but he carries himself with the demeanor of someone that is not messing around. He also plays like a seasoned veteran as he has a lot of smarts.  On top of that, he just knows how to position his body to make those harder catches and he’s extremely difficult to take down, which could help him turn out a bunch of yards after contact.

The Bruins then have two freshmen slotted after them, so depending on their development (or lack of), the coaching staff might need to do some shuffling around in the slot.