UCLA Football Freshman Most Likely to Surprise Everyone This Season

UCLA football is going to be a very intriguing team for the upcoming 2026 college football season. In his first offseason with the UCLA Bruins, Bob Chesney has completely overturned the roster for the upcoming year, primarily using the transfer portal.

Chesney would bring in the 11th-ranked transfer portal class, according to Rivals, with 42 total new faces. However, unlike the transfer portal class, the high school class was not the highest-ranked class according to Rivals, ranking 65th.

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 | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

UCLA was unable to land a single four- or five-star caliber player in the class, but some players could surprise everyone and have big moments next season for the Bruins.

There is one player in particular who could be a key depth player as a freshman to help out the linebacker room. That player is Malaki Soliai-Tui.

Malaki Soliai-Tui as a Prospect

Tui is a three-star linebacker prospect from Kahuku High School in Hawaii. Tui is one of the lower-ranked players in the Bruins' class, as he is ranked outside the top 1000 nationally at 1,385, the 130th-ranked linebacker in the 2026 class, and the 10th-ranked player in Hawaii.

In his senior season with the Red Raiders, he would finish the year with 56.5 tackles, 5.0 TFLs, 1.5 sacks, and one interception. With such a good senior season, Tui would be selected to play in the 2026 Polynesian Bowl, as well as be an all-state selection and be a key piece for the Red Raiders' 8-4 season.

Malaki Soliai-Tui’s Role With UCLA

Tui is a very versatile player on the West Coast, as he can do a bit of everything on the field. Whether it's being an open-field tackler, a run stopper, making an impact in coverage, or even trying to rush the passer, Tui is a pure athlete on the defensive side of the ball.

Much like the rest of the roster, the Bruins' linebacker room has seen a major change for the upcoming year. While a key player was returning in Scott Taylor, coming back from last year's team, Chesney went in and recruited guys, Samuel Omosigho from Oklahoma, and Drew Spinogatti from James Madison.

Chesney loves having all his defensive players versatile, especially his linebackers, as he wants them to succeed in multiple ways on the field. Tui is the ultimate Swiss Army knife of the incoming freshmen, and with how versatile he is and a good fall camp, he is someone who can definitely find time on the field.

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