Every year, players come seemingly out of nowhere to become household names across college football. Those opportunities often arise from the departures of top players, thin depth charts, transfer opportunities, and a host of other situations.
For the UCLA Bruins , the opportunities lie in a regime change that brought massive roster turnover, injecting more talent from across the country into a program that has struggled in the Big Ten.
May 2, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) reacts during the spring game at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
No spots or roles will be truly cemented until the season rolls around, so here are a few players who could emerge as sleepers for the Bruins this fall.
Phifer might as well be the face of the Bruins' influx of talent at tight end, although his experience and overall numbers won't claim the position outright. He'll have to earn it like the rest. But what he does have going for him is his familiarity with the coaching staff. He played for Bob Chesney and company at James Madison and followed them to Westwood for 2026.
Sep 21, 2024; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; James Madison Dukes tight end Taylor Thompson (17) reacts with tight end Josh Phifer (89) after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
The redshirt junior has just six catches for 81 yards and two touchdowns in his career, but it's his potential that could allow him to break out at UCLA. At 6-foot-6 and nearly 260 lbs, he's a big target with some athleticism, and that's a dynamic that has been missing from the Bruins' offense. It could also be an incredibly helpful security blanket for Nico Iamaleava .
With all the wide receivers UCLA has landed, Rowe Jr. has gone slightly overlooked. It makes sense, considering the rest of the group has more experience at the college level, and some are also JMU transfers or even came from other Power Conference schools. But Rowe Jr. also has Power 4 roots.
Sep 20, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks wide receiver Brian Rowe Jr. (18) runs the ball against the Missouri Tigers during the first half of the game at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images
He spent his freshman season in the SEC with South Carolina , beginning as a core special-teamer before matriculating his way into the starting offense during conference play. Some of his biggest games came against College Football Playoff-caliber teams, and he earned plenty of praise from the UCLA staff throughout the spring.
When it comes to the UCLA rushing offense, most eyes are on JMU transfer Wayne Knight , a top-10 rusher nationally last season, and Iamaleava, UCLA's leading rusher in 2025. However, those two can't be the only ones on which UCLA relies. There are plenty of options on the roster, but Cox brings perhaps the highest upside.
May 2, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins running back Karson Cox (33) is tackled by defensive back Logan Hirou (35)during the spring game at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
At 5-foot-11 and 215 lbs, he's one of the biggest running backs on the Bruins' roster, making an easy case for the power back/goal line runner type of role. He was also a top 230 high school recruit and has the talent to be a major factor if given the opportunities. The last staff only gave him two carries last season, which isn't nearly enough for his talent and potential impact.
Ford is another player who was highly rated coming out of high school but hasn't yet made the impact he hoped for in college. He appeared in two games as a freshman at Notre Dame in 2023 but never saw the field again for the Fighting Irish , leading to a transfer to Cal. He played in seven games for the Golden Bears in 2025, remaining in a limited capacity.
Tyson Ford DL of the Fighting Irish at Notre Dame football practice at the Irish Athletic Center on August 7, 2023. | MATTIE NERETIN / USA TODAY NETWORK
Now comes his chance to step forward. With so much turnover on the roster, UCLA is looking for impact players as it builds its defense. The bar was not set high by the previous group of UCLA defensive linemen, and there is certainly a place for a player who was once a coveted recruit (No. 105 overall nationally, No. 9 defensive end, and No. 2 in Missouri ) and a former defensive end who can now become an excessively athletic defensive tackle.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/ucla as 4 Potential Sleepers For UCLA Football in 2026 .
