Opportunity Comes for UCLA's Defensive Line

An opportunity arises.

After spending most of his career in Michigan and winning a National Championship, Kechaun Bennett is getting a chance to be a full-time starter after transferring to the UCLA Bruins.

Bennett primarily played on special teams with the Wolverines, collecting just seven total tackles throughout his four-year career in Ann Arbor. But with a healthy competition at defensive end, it’s hard to imagine Bennett won’t get a hard look.

With Jacob Busic entering the transfer portal, it opens the door for Bennett. Alongside him is redshirt sophomore Grant Buckey, as well as redshirt senior and transfer Anthony Jones.

It’ll be Jones’ fourth school in as many years, but he did have a career year playing at Michigan State last season — posting 25 total tackles, four tackles-for-loss, and two sacks.

Buckey, on the other hand, is still looking to get his feet wet. And while he’s vying for that starting spot, it’s unlikely that he'll take it unless he blows everyone away at camp.

With this being Bennett’s last season of eligibility, there’s a lot of motivation for the graduate transfer to make an impact for the Bruins.

From special teams at Michigan to a potential starting role at UCLA? It reads like a Hollywood redemption arc.

He has the pedigree, too.

While he wasn’t an every-down player at Michigan, he was a four-star recruit coming out of high school and was the top prospect in the state of Connecticut, as well as the 12th-ranked weakside defensive end in the nation.

Bennett had all the tools to be the next great EDGE rusher to don the maize and blue, but ultimately, too many players jumped ahead of him — like Josaiah Stewart, Derrick Moore, or Braiden McGregor.

So can UCLA be the spot where he finally becomes the player he was destined to be?

It remains to be seen, but there’s plenty of opportunity to go around. With Bennett’s pedigree and history in Ann Arbor, one would have to imagine DeShaun Foster plans on giving the former four-star a longer look.

The pathway is certainly there for a starting role, but most likely, he’ll have to beat out Jones — which is a tall ask after Jones posted career-high numbers in East Lansing.

Either way, this is Bennett’s last chance to get meaningful reps.

Can he grab the proverbial brass ring? Or will Bennett forever be the answer to your next “what if?” question?