Which UCLA Football Freshmen Already Look Ready To Play

When Bob Chesney took over as the head coach of the Bruins, he completely flipped this UCLA roster.

That meant bringing over 40 transfers and 20 freshmen into the locker room, and with only 22 starting positions on the field, there were plenty of players who came to UCLA understanding that their time on the field might not arrive this season.

Freshmen Don’t Seem Close To Starting

May 2, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; A general overall view of helmets at the line of scrimmage as UCLA Bruins center Riley Robell (50) snaps the ball during the spring game at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

UCLA brought in a recruiting class ranked 49th in the country, according to 247Sports, and it’s seemingly not a class that we’ll be seeing a lot of this season.

As fall camp progresses, it seems the Bruins’ freshmen are still a season behind the veterans and transfers competing for starting jobs.

May 2, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins coach Bob Chesney (right) with women's basketball coach Cori Close during the spring game at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

However, waiting a year or two is never necessarily a bad thing. With the amount of roster turnover that Chesney brought, it was always going to be an uphill battle for the freshman to see the field as a starter in year one.

UCLA brought in so many experienced players through the portal that most of the opportunities that have been opened have likely already been filled by third- or fourth-year players.

While I wouldn’t expect any of UCLA’s freshmen to become starters at any point during the season, 3-star CJ Lavender would appear the “closest” to seeing the field the earliest.

He’s been one of the most impressive rookies throughout camp, according to reports by 247. Still, even if he’s able to continue to impress throughout camp, the defensive back room is arguably one of the strongest positional groups this season for the Bruins, leaving very little room for a freshman to squeeze in some playing time, let alone ever start.

For UCLA and Bob Chesney, there’s very little reason to rush any of its freshmen onto the field if the veterans ahead of them are performing well.

Patience Could Be Very Beneficial

While the Bruins' freshman class may have very little impact on this season, it doesn’t mean this group can’t at some point in time.

If Chesney plans to be with this program long-term, these freshmen will have the valuable opportunity to learn and grow from the guys ahead of them, which is often undervalued in today’s game.

Ultimately, that could benefit the program more than anything the freshmen would be able to provide on the field this year. Nonetheless, a few rookies have made some moves throughout camp.

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