NFL Scouting Combine 2022 Preview: UCLA Football

There are five Bruins who will be taking the field in Indianapolis looking to improve their stock ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft.

As it does at the end of every winter, the football world is convening in Indianapolis.

The 2022 NFL Scouting Combine is getting underway Tuesday, with prospects, scouts, coaches, executives and media members from across the country arriving to take care of some early interviews before getting on the field later in the week. The week-long event will feature 324 of the most highly-touted college football players looking to take their first step towards the pros, and there are five Bruins who are part of that exclusive group.

Wide receiver Kyle Philips, tight end Greg Dulcich, offensive tackle Sean Rhyan, defensive lineman Otito Ogbonnia and safety Quentin Lake all left UCLA football earlier this offseason. After standing out at different collegiate all-star games and showcases, they will reconvene in Indianapolis to give scouts a look at their measurables and potentially make some connections with teams that could select them come April's draft.

In addition to the positional drills each player will be participating in, the 40-yard dash, bench press, vertical jump, broad jump, three-cone drill, 20-yard shuttle and 60-yard shuttle will be the activities that apply to all players who wish to take part in them.

Several position groups will take the field at Lucas Oil Stadium each day starting Thursday, and here is what you can look forward to at the event – both from a scheduling standpoint and a UCLA perspective. 

2022 NFL Scouting Combine: How to Watch, Key Info

WHO: WR Kyle Philips, TE Greg Dulcich, OL Sean Rhyan, DL Otito Ogbonnia, S Quentin Lake

DATES: Thursday, March 3 – Sunday, March 6

TIMES: 1 – 8 p.m. PT

LOCATION: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN

TV: NFL Network

STREAMING: fuboTV – Get 7-day Free Trial

March 3: Quarterbacks, Receivers, Tight Ends

Quarterbacks: None
Receivers: Kyle Philips
Tight Ends: Greg Dulcich

The positional drills Philips and Dulcich will take part in Thursday mostly center around running routes and catching passes, in addition to some blocking work with sleds.

Philips set himself apart from the crowd at the East-West Shrine Bowl practices in February, although he did not take part in the game itself. His highlight reel from workouts likely got him on the NFL Combine's radar, though, considering he wasn't discussed much nationally leading up to those viral moments.

The wideout finished his UCLA career with 163 receptions, 1,821 yards, and 17 touchdowns in addition to 496 yards and two touchdowns on 25 punt returns. Philips was a member of the All-Pac-12 First Team in 2021.

Dulcich spent the first part of his offseason at the Reese's Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. He also drew some attention in practice, and then he caught a pass in the game to cap off the week.

The tight end finished his UCLA career with 1,353 yards and 11 touchdowns on 77 catches. Dulcich was a member of the All-Pac-12 First Team in 2021 and a member of the Second Team in 2020.

March 4: Offensive Line, Running Backs

Offensive Line: Sean Rhyan
Running Backs: None

The positional drills Rhyan will take part in Friday mostly center around blocking work with sleds, some footwork drills and other activities that will put his agility, strength and conditioning to the test.

Despite being regularly pegged at the Bruins' top prospect, even getting mocked as high as the first round, Rhyan did not participate in any showcase or all-star games in January or February.

Rhyan was the top-ranked prospect in coach Chip Kelly's first full recruiting class, and the former four-star remains the highest-rated signee since Kelly arrived in 2018. The 6-foot-5, 320-pound lineman became UCLA's starting left tackle on day one, and he earned Freshman All-American honors from USA Today, The Athletic, Pro Football Focus and the FWAA in 2019.

While Rhyan didn't earn any hardware starting all seven games for the Bruins in 2020, he still improved and rode that momentum into 2021. Rhyan was on the All-Pac-12 First Team as a junior this past fall, and between the 19 games he started in 2020 and 2021, Rhyan took 703 snaps in pass protection and allowed just one sack.

UCLA's offensive line paved the way for Joshua Kelly and Zach Charbonnet to post 1,000-yard seasons in 2019 and 2021, and Demetric Felton was on pace to do the same in 2020 if it weren't for the COVID-shortened schedule.

March 5: Defensive Line, Linebackers

Defensive Line: Otito Ogbonnia
Linebackers: None

The positional drills Ogbonnia will take part in Saturday mostly center around working with sleds and dummies, in addition to general footwork workouts and some interception practice.

Ogbonnia worked out at the Reese's Senior Bowl across from Dulcich. His strength and 1-on-1 wins in practice boosted his public profile right off the bat, and he came through with a tackle at the line of scrimmage in the first quarter of the Senior Bowl.

The interior defensive lineman finished his UCLA career with 79 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, five pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Ogbonnia was a member of PFF's All-Pac-12 Second Team in 2021.

Ogbonnia was also recognized in The Athletic's Bruce Feldman's preseason freaks list, earning a shoutout for his success as a weight lifter and shotputter off the field as well. Ogbonnia, a powerlifter in high school, has shown an ability to bench 440 pounds and squat 683 pounds while also boasting a reported 6-foot-10 wingspan.

March 6: Defensive Backs, Kickers

Defensive Backs: Quentin Lake
Kickers: None

The positional drills Lake will take part in Saturday mostly center around ball skills, catching and coverage tests.

Lake worked out at the East-West Shrine Bowl across from Philips. Lake shined through in the 1-on-1 drills, demonstrating an ability to work well in man coverage despite not playing a lot of it at the college level.

The safety finished his UCLA career with 179 tackles, 15 pass breakups, six interceptions, four tackles for loss and a blocked kick. Lake was a member of the All-Pac-12 Second Team in 2021.

Lake had played five seasons in Westwood, powering through injuries to anchor the Bruins' secondary through the unit's worst statistical era in a generation. As one of the group's most veteran leaders this past fall, though, Lake led the defense to its second straight year back on the upswing.

--------------------

Stay tuned to All Bruins all week long for highlights, scouting reports and general takeaways from the five UCLA alumni's respective performances. Mock draft season is already in full swing, and we'll keep things up-to-date on the top Bruin prospects' outlooks after their time in Indianapolis is done.

UCLA football will host its pro day on March 15, when these five players – plus other graduating Bruins and early entrants such as offensive tackle Alex Anderson, striker Qwuantrezz Knight, running back Brittain Brown and others – are expected to show up for scouts at Wasserman Football Center. The exact list of participants has yet to be confirmed.

Follow Connon on Twitter at @SamConnon
Follow All Bruins on Twitter at @SI_AllBruins
Like All Bruins on Facebook at @SI.AllBruins
Subscribe to All Bruins on YouTube

Read more UCLA stories: UCLA Bruins on Sports Illustrated
Read more UCLA football stories: UCLA Football on Sports Illustrated