UCLA Football 2026 Top 30 Players Countdown: No. 8

UCLA football is under new management for the upcoming 2026 season, with Bob Chesney donning the headset for the Bruins.

Chesney had a big offseason ahead of him, as one of the biggest changes needed on the roster was the entire defense. UCLA’s defense needed to be fixed, as while the secondary had moments of competency, the defensive line and the ability to rush the passer were sorely lacking.

I have already talked about sophomore Scott Taylor, who will return to UCLA after showing flashes during his freshman season. The Bruins' linebacking room has been vastly improved. Now, for No. 8 on the list of the top 30 players on the Bruins roster for the upcoming season, I have outside linebacker Ryan McCulloch, who transferred to UCLA this offseason.

McCulloch out of High School

Coming out of high school, Ryan McCulloch had a great four-year career, serving as one of the best defensive players at Rio Hondo Preparatory School in Arcadia, California. McCulloch was a 3-star recruit throughout his high school career and would truly break out as a player in his senior season.

In his senior season, McCulloch was a freak athlete playing on both sides of the ball as both an outside linebacker and a running back who could make an impact in the receiving game.

As a linebacker, McCulloch would have team-highs of 64 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, a career-high two forced fumbles, and 15 quarterback hurries on defense. As for being a running back, McCulloch would have career highs of 93 carries, 897 yards rushing, and 10 touchdowns on the ground, as well as being a threat as a pass catcher with 19 receptions for 247 yards and three touchdowns for a career-high 1,144 all-purpose yards.

His senior season was full of excitement: he was everywhere on the field for the Kares, and as a two-way player, he earned many accolades. McCulloch would earn Gold Coast League Defensive MVP as well as first-team All-Southern Section and All-Gold Coast honors.

Even with having a great senior season, McCulloch would still be ranked outside the top 1,000 players in the 2023 high school class. McCulloch would rank 1,245th in the class, 109th among athletes, and 115th among players in California, according to the 247Sports Composite.

While McCulloch was ranked as a pure athlete, he would be recruited as an outside linebacker for the next level and would have recruiting interest from Power Four schools. Schools such as Colorado, Boise State, and Washington State would all be interested in him, but McCulloch would decide to stay in California and play for Cal.

McCulloch With Cal

In the Golden Bears' 2023 recruiting class, Cal relied mostly on players from the transfer portal, with 20 transfers, as well as players coming from the JUCO level, with four of their 14 recruits coming from junior colleges.

With so many upperclassmen on the roster for Cal, there would be questions around McCulloch and how much playing time he would have during his true freshman season with the Golden Bears. However, those questions would be quickly answered as he would play in 12 of the 13 games for the Golden Bears, with his only missed game being Week Two against Auburn.

Coming off the bench for Cal, McCulloch would show flashes of his ability to rush the passer as well as being a good tackler in the open field. He would end his freshman season with nine total tackles, with five being solo tackles, as well as having 0.5 tackles for a loss, and being a threat in coverage, as he had a pass breakup. McCulloch would even show off his athleticism with a punt return for 26 yards.

Moving on to his sophomore year, McCulloch would take another jump forward in his production. While he played more snaps during the 2024 season, he appeared in only 10 of their 13 games.

However, McCulloch would have a good year, doubling his total tackles with 18 and solo tackles with nine. McCulloch would also be much more effective in the run game, with 4.5 tackles for loss, and getting after the quarterback with three sacks.

The Injury

After his sophomore season, his junior year would be the year that he would put it all together and establish himself as one of the better defenders in the ACC as a pass rusher and run stopper.

McCulloch would start the season strong: in the first four games, he would have 11 total tackles (four solo), 2.5 tackles for a loss, and 1.5 sacks. However, during the Week four matchup against San Diego State, McCulloch would suffer a season-ending injury.

That injury was a huge blow to the Golden Bears' defense, as while they were still able to rush the QB, the rush defense took a major hit, allowing the fifth-most rushing yards in the ACC.

After a season-ending injury and younger players coming for his spot on the roster, McCulloch would decide to enter the transfer portal to find a place to start right away. Luckily for him, Bob Chesney offered him right away, and he decided to stay in California and play for the Bruins for the upcoming season.

McCulloch on a Bob Chesney Defense

McCulloch is coming back from a season-ending injury, and there will be a bit of rust that he will need to shake off. Having said that, he will be one of the more talented players on the roster for the upcoming season.

Bob Chesney and defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler love to rush the passer and stop the run. Most of James Madison's success last year came on defense, as they got after the quarterback quickly and halted the opposing running game.

McCulloch can do both and will be a key outside linebacker on that Bruins defense.

Before going down with an injury, he was on track to have half a dozen sacks and almost 10 tackles for a loss. Having a guy like him is great, as he was also able to redshirt, has seasons of eligibility, and can be a key piece not only this year but also the year after.

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