The Bruins have lost another piece from their experienced defense.
UCLA football safety Quentin Lake has declared for the 2022 NFL Draft, the defensive back announced on Twitter on Friday night. Lake had one year of eligibility remaining.
Lake joins defensive lineman Otito Ogbonnia, right tackle Alec Anderson, receiver Kyle Philips and tight end Greg Dulcich as Bruins who have left early in favor of the pros.
Lake’s decision didn’t come out of nowhere, considering he had already accepted an invitation to the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl on Sunday. To participate in the showcase at the end of the month, Lake had to declare for the draft before the deadline on Jan. 17, and he ended up making his final call with over a week to spare.
The Bruins’ secondary will now have to replace fours starters, as cornerbacks Obi Eboh and Cameron Johnson and safety Qwuantrezz Knight all ran out of eligibility after the 2021 season.
Lake made the All-Pac-12 Second Team this past fall, the first time he earned all-conference honors. To cap his career, Lake racked up 54 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, three interceptions, six pass breakups and a quarterback hit.
For his collegiate career, which lasted from 2017 to 2021, Lake accumulated 179 tackles, 15 pass breakups, six interceptions, four tackles for loss and a blocked kick.
Lake missed most of 2019, though, and with the shortened 2020 season, scouts said before the year that Lake needed to see a lot more tape from him in 2021. In an exclusive preseason interview with All Bruins, Sports Illustrated’s NFL Draft Bible president Zack Patraw said Lake could play himself into being a draftable player.
"I want to see more production this year," Patraw said in September. "He's got good size, he's a hard-nosed safety, he's not super quick like that, but there's some hits you can hear on the broadcast, which is always fun."
Lake is one of seven defensive starters departing UCLA, and the team lost defensive line coach Johnny Nansen and outside linebacker Jason Kaufusi to Arizona as well. While those coaches have already been replaced, there will need to be additional moves made throughout the rest of the winter in order for the Bruins to get back on their feet.
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