Projecting UCLA Football's Week 1 Depth Chart

There was never any question surrounding who would be under center to begin the season. Iamaleava was recently named a captain of this 2026 Bruins team, and he’ll have his first opportunity to prove he can flip the narrative surrounding UCLA.

Madden Iamaleava and Ty Dieffenbach have been battling it out all summer long, but I would guess Madden gets the backup position in Week One.

Running Back: Wayne Knight, Jaivian Thomas, Anthony Woods

We’ve talked all summer about how fantastic this UCLA run game has the potential to be. Wayne Knight will headline this group as he transfers in from James Madison, looking to completely revamp the run game we saw last season from the Bruins.

I expect UCLA to be a run-first team, so we’ll see quite a bit of Wayne Knight and Co. this season.

Wide Receiver: Brian Rowe Jr., Landon Ellis, Mikey Matthews, Semaj Morgan, Aidan Mizell, Leland Smith

Brian Rowe and Landon Ellis have been mainstays in my predictions in this starting receiver rotation. The Mikey Matthew and Semaj Morgan debate is certainly still in play, but I think Matthews' prior connection with Iamaleava and experience inside the program land him the starting gig in Week One.

Aidan Mizell has also shown some promise in practice, and Leland Smith offers the Bruins a bigger body that could be a threat in the red zone if needed.

Tight End: Josh Phifer, Brayden Loftin

We’ve discussed the debate between the Bruins' two talented tight ends before, and I think we will see Phifer take the field first. His prowess as a blocker aligns well with the thought that UCLA may rely on the run game early.

Expect both tight ends to get snaps against Cal, as Loftin could make an immediate impact in the passing game.

Tackles: Hall Schmidt, Jordan Davis, Jensen Somerville

There are plenty of new faces on this Bruins’ offensive line, and it starts with the tackles on the outside. Jordan Davis comes in from South Alabama and should assume the starting role at the left tackle position. Hall Schmidt comes from Boise State and will likely be the starter at right tackle.

Center: Riley Robell, Derek Osman, Sam Yoon

Robell has been dealing with a lingering MCL injury, but should be starting over the football when the Bruins’ offense first takes the field. Behind him, Derek Osman and Sam Yoon both have the talent to be able to step in if Robell’s injury impacts his game in any way.  

Guards: Carter Sweazie, Eugene Brooks, Julian Armella

In a three-man battle for the starting guard spots, I believe Brooks and Sweazie get the start. Sweazie will likely line up on the left, and Brooks on the right, in what should be a much-improved offensive line from what we witnessed last season.

Defensive Ends: Sahir West, Scott Taylor, Aiden Gobaira

Defensive end is one of the harder positions to pin down; more specifically, who will be lining up on the opposite side of Sahir West. Scott Taylor is a linebacker-turned edge rusher who I lean towards to get the start, but the experience at the position could very well vault Aiden Gobaira onto the field for the first snaps of the season.

Defensive Tackles: Tyson Ford, Darold DeNgohe, Amier Washington, Maxwell Roy

The interior defensive line is another place on the field filled with transfers. All four of the guys who will likely rotate in against Cal are newcomers to UCLA, so it will be interesting to see how seamless their transitions are.

Tyson Ford is the player I am most confident in to see in the starting lineup, with predicting the other starter alongside him truly feeling like a shot in the dark.

Linebackers: Sammy Omosigho, Jalen Woods, Donovyn Pellot, Drew Spinogatti, Trent Hendrick

Sammy Omosigho was named the defensive captain alongside Iamaleava, and deservedly so. Omosigho will be a leader on this defense and will obviously be in the starting lineup, but the better question is who his running mate will be.

Jalen Woods would be my pick to play against Cal, but Trent Hendrick is a guy who has the talent to eventually see the starting rotation. I don’t think we’ll see that just yet, so for now, I would expect Omosigho and Woods to take the field first.

Cornerbacks: Rodrick Pleasant, Cole Martin, DJ Barksdale, Dante Lovett

Cornerbacks can be a solid unit for this UCLA team this season. I think there’s a good chance we'll see Cole Martin line up as a corner down from safety this season, and Rodrick Pleasant and DJ Barksdale should both be extremely solid for this unit as well.

If Martin remains as a safety, my pick would be Dante Lovett to assume a starting position.

Safeties: Tao Johnson, Malik Hartford, Aaron Williams

It looks like the Bruins could be starting two new faces back deep in the defense. As I said, there’s still a good chance we see Cole Martin assume one of the two starting safety positions, but if he transitions to corner, I like Malik Hartford to take his place.