3 Players To Watch for UCLA Football Against Maryland

Here's who to watch extra closely in UCLA's trip to Maryland.

Sep 5, 2026; Berkeley, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Bob Chesney during the first quarter against the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As the Bruins travel to Maryland to take on the Terrapins, these are the players I would keep an eye on.

Leland Smith

As the wide receiver room for the Bruins is finally getting healthy, everyone will likely have a part in the passing attack this week against Maryland. Last week, Leland Smith stepped up huge down the stretch, with three receptions in the second half against Purdue, all of them moving the chains.

Sep 5, 2026; Berkeley, California, USA; UCLA Bruins wide receiver Leland Smith (0) before the game against the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As Nico Iamaleava looks to continue to improve as the season progresses, he’ll need reliable receivers to stay healthy and be dependable down the stretch, as Smith was last week. I look forward to seeing what Smith can do this week and whether he can build upon his impressive performance.

Nico Iamaleava

Iamaleava looked solid in his start last week against Purdue, and he’ll need to build on that performance to lead the Bruins towards their first 4-0 start since 2022.

Sep 5, 2026; Berkeley, California, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) throws a pass against the California Golden Bears during the first quarter at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

He’s taken some hits over the past couple of weeks, so it will be imperative that this UCLA offensive line is able to keep him off the mat in Week 4. He’s mobile enough to evade pressure, but he loves to welcome physicality when running the football, and I’m sure the UCLA coaching staff has a love-hate relationship with that mindset.

Maryland’s secondary has been generous this season in terms of what they’ve allowed through the air, and Iamaleava will need to exploit that potential weakness while also continuing to lean on the Bruins' elite run game. If Maryland has prepared for UCLA’s ground attack all week, the Bruins will need Iamaleava to perform well enough to get them into the bye week undefeated.

Rodrick Pleasant or Scooter Jackson

Sep 19, 2026; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins defensive back Rodrick Pleasant (2) and assistant general manager Steven Price react after the game against the Purdue Boilermakers at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This third player is simply whichever cornerback is the primary option to cover Chris Durr Jr. Scooter Jackson and Rodrick Pleasant should get the brunt of the coverage duties for Maryland’s star receiver, and their performance could be the key to a UCLA win.

Although it happened last week, UCLA probably won't win many games if they let the opposing quarterback throw for 300+ yards and 3+ touchdowns. Durr Jr. has been a major part of Malik Washington’s success, and if the UCLA secondary can take away that outlet of production, it could stunt the capabilities of the Terrapins' offense.

Sep 19, 2026; College Park, Maryland, USA; Maryland Terrapins wide receiver Chris Durr Jr. (13) catches a pass for a touchdown in the second half against the Virginia Tech Hokies at SECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Chris Durr Jr. is an explosive athlete, and UCLA will have to be very careful not to let him get hot at any point in the game.