Bill Connelly’s latest Big Ten SP+ transfer rankings put a spotlight on two UCLA newcomers who already know head coach Bob Chesney well.
Running back Wayne Knight and defensive lineman Sahir West both landed among Connelly’s 10 favorite transfers, a nod that makes sense given what each did at James Madison before following Chesney to Westwood after his move to UCLA. The two are part of a big offseason pipeline from JMU to UCLA, with Knight and West among 10 Dukes transfers who joined the Bruins and two of 41 overall.
Knight brings the kind of production UCLA badly needed a year ago. Connelly pointed to a monster 2025 season in which Knight piled up 1,770 yards from scrimmage and scored 10 total touchdowns.
He was also a steady weekly force in Chesney’s system, topping 100 yards from scrimmage 12 times over two seasons at JMU. That sort of burst should help a UCLA ground game that managed just 139.7 rushing yards per game last season, a figure that ranked 12th in the Big Ten.
The Bruins do return Anthony Woods and Jaivian Thomas, but Knight adds another proven piece after averaging 98.1 rushing yards per game and 6.6 yards per carry last year.
West gives UCLA something else it was missing: a legitimate pass-rush threat. Connelly called him “A breakout JMU star as a redshirt freshman,” and the numbers back it up.
West posted seven sacks and 16 tackles for loss, including a huge showing in the Sun Belt championship game win that sealed a CFP berth for the Dukes, when he had five tackles for loss and three sacks. UCLA’s defense had trouble creating pressure last season, finishing with just 10 sacks in 12 games.
West was three sacks away from matching that total by himself, and he was part of a JMU defense that finished with 36.0 sacks on the year.
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UCLA Has An Overlooked Returner Who Could Earn Cronins Trust
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The next step is less about what Freeny already does well and more about how much more he can give. UCLA's lineup decisions will shape his path, but there is a clear opening for him to carve out a bigger role if his offensive game becomes more reliable and complete. If that happens, he could push toward sixth-man duties or even starting minutes, which would mark a major jump for a guard who has earned attention the hard way. [Read more 🡒]