UCLA’s receiver room has been one of the biggest moving parts in Bob Chesney’s offseason overhaul, and the Bruins have attacked it from every angle.
Chesney and his staff have already brought in 45 players through the transfer portal, and another 20 arrived from the 2026 high school class. That means 65 new players will be on the roster next season, and wide receiver was one of the spots that needed serious work.
The Bruins had to replace their top pass catcher from last season, Kwazi Gilmer, who led the team with 535 receiving yards and four touchdowns before leaving for the transfer portal and ending up at Nebraska. With Gilmer gone and several other receivers either graduating or entering the portal, UCLA went shopping for help.
Leland Smith and Landon Ellis are already being discussed as UCLA’s top two options at receiver, but there are other names worth keeping on the radar behind them. Three receivers in particular could give Nico Iamaleava some much-needed depth in the passing game.
The most familiar name is Matthews, the only wideout from UCLA’s 2025 team set to return for 2026. He put together a solid junior season with 33 catches for 248 yards and two touchdowns, and he’s expected to stay in the slot again next year. That would make him the third receiver on the depth chart, where his quickness and route-running should make him a reliable target if Iamaleava has to move past his first two reads.
Then there’s Kenneth Moore, the highest-rated incoming freshman in UCLA’s 2026 class. Per 247Sports, he checks in as the 437th-ranked player nationally and the 60th-ranked wide receiver in the country.
Moore may not be asked to carry the same load as Smith or Matthews right away, but his speed stands out. He can stretch the field on the outside or work from the slot, and he’s also physical enough to hold his own.
The third name is Rowe Jr., the only player on this list who arrived through the transfer portal. He comes to UCLA after one season at South Carolina, where he posted 19 receptions for 149 yards and a touchdown as a freshman.
Rowe played in the slot for the Gamecocks, and his speed jumps off the page. He also brings strong ball skills, especially on catches away from his body.
Since he’s entering his true sophomore season, there’s still room for him to grow.
In Other News...
UCLA Has A Growing Concern Up Front With Key Transfer Lineman
Hall Schmidt arrived at UCLA with the kind of background the Bruins hoped would stabilize the edge of their offensive line. The former Peninsula High School standout in Washington was a 2021 3A South Sound Conference Lineman of the Year, then took a longer route after committing to Boise State in 2022, redshirting as a freshman before working his way into a starting role and helping that offense along the way.
Now projected to be UCLAs starting right tackle in 2026, Schmidt is exactly the sort of transfer lineman the Bruins need to count on up front. That is why any offseason concern around him carries extra weight, because the line was already an area where UCLA needed clarity and continuity, and his status adds another layer of uncertainty to a group still trying to settle in. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA Just Landed The Kind Of International Talent Cronin Needed
UCLAs next wave of roster building has taken on a distinctly international look, with the Bruins announcing the signings of Gunrs Grnvalds and Nikola Kusturica for the 2026-27 incoming freshman class. Grnvalds, a 6-foot-7 forward from Latvia, already has professional experience with Real Madrid, while Kusturica arrives from Serbia after time with FC Barcelona and comes into Westwood with the kind of reputation that usually travels fast through high-major recruiting circles.
For Mick Cronin, the appeal is obvious: size, skill and a chance to add players who can fit into the programs long-term plans before they ever set foot on campus. UCLA has been looking for impact talent that can raise the ceiling of future classes, and these two signings suggest the Bruins are willing to keep mining overseas for it. The only real question now is how quickly that promise turns into production once they get to Westwood. [Read more 🡒]
Bob Chesney Could Change Everything For Nico Iamaleava At UCLA
Bob Chesney arrives at UCLA with a reputation that should matter immediately to anyone invested in Nico Iamaleavas next step. At James Madison and before that at Holy Cross, Chesney built a track record of getting dual-threat quarterbacks to play efficiently and confidently, and the Bruins are bringing in an offensive staff that knows his system well after making the jump from James Madison to Westwood.
For Iamaleava, that kind of continuity could be a real advantage after a college career that already showed flashes of both passing ability and run-game impact. The fit is obvious on paper, and UCLA will be counting on Chesney and his staff to turn that promise into something more consistent, even if the biggest questions around the quarterback situation are still waiting to be answered. [Read more 🡒]