Bob Chesney has already given UCLA football a major jolt, but the biggest long-term question in Westwood still sits under center.
The Bruins landed the 11th-ranked transfer portal class in the country, according to Rivals, and Chesney brought in help with players such as Wayne Knight, Sahir West, Jordan Davis and Leland Smith. He has also put together a strong 2027 high school class, which currently ranks 17th nationally. Even with that momentum, the quarterback position remains unsettled.
That uncertainty got a little sharper when Brady Edmunds, one of UCLA’s top 2027 targets, announced he is staying with Ohio State. With most of the 2027 quarterbacks already committed elsewhere, Chesney appears to be turning his attention to the 2028 class, where Jaxson Carper has emerged as a name linked to the Bruins.
Carper is currently a 3-star recruit in the 2028 cycle, though a strong junior season could push him to 4-star status. He just wrapped up his sophomore year at St. Bonaventure in California, where the Seraphs struggled, but Carper still put together a solid season as the starter.
He threw for 1,642 yards, completed 60.8% of his passes, and finished with 14 touchdowns against six interceptions. He also showed some running ability, adding 264 rushing yards and one score on the ground.
UCLA’s quarterback picture could look different by the time Carper would arrive. Nico Iamaleava is set to have a much better supporting cast this season, and a strong year could send him to the NFL. Even if Iamaleava stays for his final year, the Bruins still do not have a locked-in successor.
Carper is not yet the same kind of mobile threat Iamaleava is, but he is still young and can use his legs to stress defenses. If he were to commit to UCLA, he would likely spend his first season on the bench while Chesney looks to the transfer portal for an experienced quarterback.
Still, the upside is clear. Developed the right way, Carper could become a very good quarterback for the Bruins, and with Chesney off to a strong start in recruiting, the QB search remains the one area worth watching closely.
In Other News...
Bob Chesney Faces One Immediate Test At UCLA
Bob Chesney arrives at UCLA with the kind of assignment that leaves little room for a slow start. The Bruins are coming off a disappointing 3-9 season under DeShaun Foster, and Chesney is already the programs third head coach since 2020, which tells you plenty about the level of urgency surrounding the job. He has responded by bringing in a massive roster reset, adding 42 transfers and 20 freshmen as he tries to rebuild the foundation and establish a clearer identity for a team that has been searching for one.
The schedule will not make anything easy, but it does leave UCLA with a path to be more competitive than it was a year ago. For Chesney, the immediate test is not just winning games, but proving the overhaul can translate quickly enough to keep the Bruins in the bowl conversation in his first season. How well the new pieces come together will go a long way toward determining whether this turns into a short-term fix or the start of something more stable. [Read more 🡒]
Jaylen Petty Gives UCLA A Breakout Hope It Needs On The Wing
UCLAs wing rotation picked up a needed dose of upside when Jaylen Petty announced he is transferring from Texas Tech for the 2026 season. Petty brings a rsum that suggests more than just depth, since he averaged 9.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists while starting 22 of 33 games and steadily improving as the year went on. For a Bruins roster that can always use more perimeter scoring, that kind of growth matters.
The appeal here is not hard to spot. Petty is expected to fit as a wing who can stretch the floor and create offense, which gives UCLA another option beyond the usual half-court grind. If his shooting translates and his confidence keeps building, he could become one of the more useful newcomers in the programs immediate plans, even if the bigger questions about how the roster shakes out are still to come. [Read more 🡒]