With training camp set to begin on August 12, UCLA is heading into the summer with one clear constant and a lot of open competition. Nico Iamaleava is back for his second season as the starting quarterback, but just about everything else on the roster is still being sorted out.
The biggest battles are the ones that could shape the Bruins’ season from the inside out. At running back, Wayne Knight looks like the guy.
At edge rusher, Sahir West appears locked in too. Both came over with head coach Bob Chesney from James Madison, and both are expected to play major roles for UCLA in 2026.
Knight should be one of UCLA’s breakout players next season. Behind him, the projected backups are Jaivian Thomas and Anthony Woods.
Woods and Thomas tied for fourth on the team in 2025 with 294 rushing yards apiece. Woods carried the ball 63 times, caught 24 passes for 211 yards, and Thomas logged 81 carries, scored one touchdown, and added 10 receptions for 64 yards.
West brings real production with him after posting 45 tackles, 14.0 tackles for loss, and 7.0 sacks for James Madison in 2025. UCLA is projecting fellow James Madison transfer Aiden Gobaira to start on the other side, while Ryan McCulloch from Cal and Amier Washington from Texas Tech will push for snaps as well.
There’s also a clear path for West at UCLA that he may not have had at Ohio State, where he would have been a rotation player or a bench piece. Now he gets coaching continuity and a better platform for playing time, and UCLA’s recent track record of sending defensive linemen to the league, especially edge rushers, only adds to the appeal.
Receiver is another spot where the depth chart is still taking shape. Mikey Matthews is the only returner expected to be part of UCLA’s 2026 rotation at wideout.
The rest of the projected top seven are transfers, with Landon Ellis and Leland Smith expected to join Matthews in the starting group. Marcus Harris, Semaj Morgan, Aidan Mizell, and Brian Rowe Jr. are also in the mix.
Up front, UCLA has made a major change at center. Sam Yoon started all 12 games there in 2025, but this spring he was bumped by James Madison transfer Riley Robell. Robell started 11 of 13 games at right guard for James Madison last season, and he gives the Bruins another piece as they continue to reshape the offensive line.
The fiercest competition may be at guard. Eugene Brooks is back as the starter at left guard, and Julian Armella returns as the starter at right guard.
Carter Sweazie, who started at left guard for James Madison in 2025, is also in the mix. Armella, Brooks, and Sweazie could all work at both guard spots as training camp unfolds.
Keeping Knight fresh, finding a receiver who can emerge as the alpha, identifying the right complement to West, and locking down the interior of the offensive line are the battles that will matter most for UCLA. Under Chesney, the Bruins have a real chance to take a significant step forward in 2026.
In Other News...
One UCLA Freshman Could Crash Chesneys Rebuilt Linebacker Rotation Fast
UCLAs linebacker room looks a lot different heading into 2026, and that is by design. Bob Chesney has leaned heavily on the transfer portal to reshape the roster, landing a class that Rivals ranked 11th nationally, while the high school group came in at 65th and did not feature a four- or five-star prospect. Even so, there is still room for a freshman to force his way into the conversation if he shows he can handle the speed and physicality of the college game.
One name worth watching is Malaki Soliai-Tui, a three-star rookie from Hawaii whose versatility gives him a real chance to matter sooner than expected. He brings the kind of all-purpose skill set that can help a linebacker group in different ways, from playing in space to helping against the run and adding value as a pass rusher, and that sort of flexibility can matter when a rotation is being rebuilt. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA Is Finally Getting Recruiting Respect But Bruins Fans Know The Catch
UCLAs recruiting profile has taken a noticeable step forward since Bob Chesney took over, and the biggest reason is the Bruins work in the transfer portal, which has helped them build one of the better classes in the country. ESPN analyst Eli Lederman recently slotted UCLAs 2027 group 14th overall, putting it in his fourth tier of top recruiting classes and giving the program a level of national respect it has not always enjoyed in recent cycles.
The class has real headliners at the top, but the more interesting part for Bruins fans is whether that momentum can survive the long road to signing day. UCLA still has to keep those commitments intact, and that usually means more than just early buzz, it means winning enough on the field to make the pitch stick as the recruiting calendar moves toward December and then February. [Read more 🡒]
Why UCLA's Portal Overhaul Could Finally Change Everything In 2026
The overhaul UCLA put together through the portal is starting to look less like a patch job and more like a real reset for 2026. The Bruins leaned hard into James Madison transfers, bringing in running back Wayne Knight and defensive lineman West, while also adding multiple wideouts to a receiver room that needed more juice. Knight arrives after a breakout season at JMU with more than 1,300 rushing yards, and the expectation is that he can give UCLA the kind of ground game it has been missing for a while.
West brings a different kind of value, one tied to the front seven and the sort of steady disruption UCLA lacked last season. The broader picture is just as important, though, because the Bruins are set up to have a deeper roster and a training camp full of open battles at most spots. For a program trying to change its trajectory, that kind of competition can be the first sign that the roster finally has enough pieces to make the next step possible. [Read more 🡒]