UCLA Football Right Tackle Alec Anderson Declares for NFL Draft
The first member of the Bruins' offense has decided to go pro.
UCLA football right tackle Alec Anderson has declared for the 2022 NFL Draft, he announced on Instagram on Wednesday morning. Anderson had two seasons of collegiate eligibility remaining, but he elected to forgo those years in favor of trying his luck at the next level.
Anderson is the second Bruin who left Westwood early for the NFL so far this offseason, following in the footsteps of defensive lineman Otito Ogbonnia. Other players such as striker Qwuantrezz Knight and left guard Paul Grattan have also declared for the draft, but they were out of eligibility anyways.
Anderson first joined the program in 2018, appearing in just three games in a reserve role that year. He started three games early in 2019 before the lineup was reshuffled and he was moved into a rotational role, but he started all 17 games he was healthy for at right tackle across 2020 and 2021.
Coming in at 6-foot-5 and 305 pounds, Anderson was one of UCLA's most physical blockers up front while also boasting plus athleticism he regularly put on display in offensive line coach Justin Frye's system.
Anderson's draft grades are currently a bit of an unknown, and he has yet to appear in any notable mock drafts.
The Bruins are now on the verge of losing both starting tackles, with Sean Rhyan a clear candidate to leave early for the NFL as well. Rhyan's stock has seemingly dwindled a bit since he entered 2021 as a projected first rounder, but the consensus is still that he'll be leaving as well.
With Anderson officially gone and Rhyan possibly the next out the door, UCLA is going to have to reset its starting offensive line this offseason. Center Sam Marrazzo could come back for extra eligibility after missing almost all of 2021 with an injury, and guards Jon Gaines, Atonio Mafi and Duke Clemens are on track to return as well.
Garrett DiGiorgio is the only player on the roster with notable in-game experience at tackle, and even he was limited to a single start as a true freshman in 2021. The only incoming recruit the Bruins have locked in on the offensive line is tackle Sam Yoon. Josh Carlin, Patrick Selna and Thomas Cole are the others who could compete to be the other replacement opposite DiGiorgio.
Looking beyond the offensive line, quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, receiver Kyle Philips, tight end Greg Dulcich and running back Zach Charbonnet could also leave for the draft, and running back Brittain Brown has exhausted all of his eligibility.
Anderson, therefore, could only be the first in a long line of players who leave UCLA's high-octant offense in the coming weeks. The Bruins ranked 14th in the country with 36.5 points per game in 2021 after putting up 35.4 and ranking 20th in 2020.
That offensive group had one last chance to shine Tuesday in the Holiday Bowl against NC State, but the game was canceled just hours before kickoff due to COVID-19 issues on the Bruins' side.
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