UCLA Freshman Spotlight: Noah Fox-Flores

Transfer QB Nico Iamaleava is throwing to a whole slate of new faces this season, under a new head coach (DeShaun Foster) and offensive coordinator (Tino Sunseri), here at UCLA. While stepping away from Tennessee and the SEC to stay closer to his hometown of Long Beach, CA, it's no doubt going to take some time for the NFL Draft hopeful to get caught up to speed on the Bruins' offense.

That means his receivers need to make his life easy: building early chemistry, simplifying routes, the whole 9 yards. That being said, no one is more eager to make an impact than freshman tight end Noah Fox-Flores.

"Flores is one of the top tight ends out West with a really nice ceiling to him. He had a strong workout at the Under Armour Camp in Seattle (4/21/24) and showed a nice combination of size and athleticism. He has a prototype 6-4, 235-pound frame with a lot of length to him. He’s a plus athlete who can run and jump and has all the physical tools you want to see in a young tight end prospect. He has good hands, runs well after the catch, and is more than just a possession guy; he can make plays down the field.

He’s a willing blocker who has some physicality to him, and as he fills out, should develop into an every-down tight end who can play in any situation. He plays more as a jumbo receiver right now, but fits the mold of tight ends drafted high in recent NFL Drafts, players who played more of a receiver role and then grew into a tight end in college. Flores is currently a high-end three-star with an 89 Rating, but is definitely on four-star watch and has all the tools to be very good at the college level." - 247Sports National Recruiting Analyst Greg Biggins.

Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) throws during the second half of the College Football Playoff first round game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Dec. 22, 2024. Ohio State won 42-17. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Understanding the choice:

Flores, a three-star recruit from Tacoma, WA, chose to stay on the West Coast and play for coach Foster for one simple reason: "It's the best college in the country.” As a coach, nothing makes you happier than a player who is eager to play and learn from you.

He put up impressive numbers in his senior year, notching 47 receptions for 454 yards (10.6 yards per catch) and three scores. This led him to be named to the All-South Puget Sound League First Team. Flores will surely look to keep this momentum heading into his first collegiate season.

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