UCLA Football Top 30 Players: No. 25

UCLA is going through many changes throughout the roster, especially in the secondary.

One of the nine players added was Virginia Tech transfer Dante Lovett, who is looking to finish his remaining two years of college football with the Bruins on a high note.

May 2, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins coach Bob Chesney reacts during the spring game at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Dante Lovett Throughout His College Career

Coming out of one of the top prep schools in the country, DeMatha High School in Washington, D.C., Lovett was one of the top players for the Stags. Lovett was a 3-star recruit in the 2022 high school class, ranked as the 882nd player in the class, 73rd-ranked safety, and 15th-ranked player in the state of Maryland according to 247Sports.

Lovett was a very successful high school player, and as a senior, he helped the Stags to a 10-2 record, winning the regular-season championship in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference. He earned First Team All-Conference defensive honors as a junior and senior, was named a First Team All-Met selection as a senior, recording three interceptions and scoring two touchdowns.

He would be a highly sought-after recruit, earning offers from Cincinnati, Georgia Tech, Boston College, and Maryland, but would ultimately commit to Virginia Tech and its former head coach, Brent Pry. Brent Pry would get hired by the Hokies in 2022, and Lovett would join Pry in the 2023 season.

While he was listed as a safety coming out of high school, he would move over to the outside cornerback spot in Pry’s defense, which better utilized his 6-0 foot and 200-pound frame.

In his freshman year at Virginia Tech, Lovett played in 13 games, and while he recorded a statistic in every game, he finished the year with just 10 tackles, seven solo tackles, three pass breakups, three passes defended, and a fumble recovery.

After an impressive freshman campaign, Lovett would have a better sophomore year. Lovett would play in all 13 games once again and would log 20 total tackles with 12 solo tackles, four pass breakups on five passes defended, and would log his first interception in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl against Minnesota.

His third year with the Hokies would take a turn, as he played in the first three games of the season, recording six total tackles, including three solo. However, his head coach, Brent Pry, would be let go after a 0-3 start. Many Virginia Tech players would enter the transfer portal early to retain a redshirt year, as Lovett would.

What Lovett Brings to UCLA

Lovett would spend the next few months in the transfer portal along with some of his teammates, looking for a new school to play for. He would then commit to UCLA as he saw the vision that Bob Chesney, defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler, and cornerbacks coach Eddie Whitley Jr. are bringing to Westwood.

Lovett is very athletic and quick on the outside, uses his athleticism to keep up with faster receivers, and is physical enough not to get bullied by bigger receivers. Lovett is also a leader in the locker room. He has been on teams that have gone to bowl games, as in 2023 and 2024, when Virginia Tech met the six-game win minimum to play in a postseason bowl game.

Heading into the summer camps, Lovett will have to earn a starting role through all the additional competition that has been brought to UCLA this offseason. However, that just means that if he does, he'll have outworked some talented players added through the transfer portal or retained by Bob Chesney and his new staff.

UCLA’s Secondary Last Year

Last year, the Bruins' defense was a bad unit, whether along the defensive line, linebackers, or in the secondary. The Bruins were one of the worst teams in the Big Ten in multiple defensive categories, including opponents' points per game (33.4), interceptions (4), sacks (10), and passing touchdowns (23).

The secondary, while not playing up to par, was considered a decent unit in the Big Ten. The Bruins secondary featured good players on the roster, including Scooter Jackson, who was considered one of the better corners in the Big Ten with two interceptions, 31 solo tackles, and three passes deflected last year.

Other than Jackson on the roster, the Bruins had players such as Andre Jordan Jr., Jamier Johnson, and Jamir Benjamin, who all left for the transfer portal.

Michigan State's Chrishon McCray, left, runs after a catch as UCLA's Scooter Jackson closes in during the fourth quarter on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

UCLA’s Secondary This Year

With Lovett committing to UCLA, he joins a much better unit, as they will also get help up front along the defensive line.

Bob Chesney was able to keep Scooter Jackson from last year's roster as a leader for the cornerback room. Chesney was also able to go into the portal and bring in key depth players, including Osiris Gilbert from UConn, Jhase McMillan from Montana State, and DJ Barksdale, who followed Bob Chesney from James Madison.

This is a secondary that should see improvement from last year's team. Gilbert had an impressive freshman season with the Huskies, with 11 solo tackles, one forced fumble, and three pass deflections.

McMillan would start in 15 of the 16 games for the FCS champions with 21 total tackles, 13 being solo, along with three pass deflections, one fumble recovery, and even making an impact on special teams with a game-winning blocked field goal against Illinois State.

With so much competition in the secondary, I think Lovett will be a player who will have to earn a starting role along the outside. However, with his college football experience vs. some who followed him in the portal, he might have the edge to begin the season.

With a good summer during camp, there is no reason to believe that he isn't starting along the outside. With his size and length, he would be a great option for Bob Chesney to pair with Scooter Jackson on the opposite side of the field, as they would make a very fun duo for next season. UCLA football is looking to get back to national prominence in 2026, and Lovett could be a key defensive piece.

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