As UCLA heads into the bye week on the clouds, here are the players I think could trend upwards as the season progresses.
Sep 26, 2026; College Park, Maryland, USA; UCLA Bruins defensive back Ta'Shawn James (27) celebrates in the end zone after returning an interception for a touchdown in the second half against the Maryland Terrapins at SECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
James has been an excellent addition to this secondary so far this season. For starters, he must have a natural knack for taking the ball away, because he's done it at an elite rate so far for the Bruins. He debuted for UCLA with two interceptions in Week One against Cal and added a pick-six to his resume in the third quarter against Maryland.
For a guy who wasn't initially supposed to get the volume of snaps he did, he has done an excellent job with the opportunities he has been given. James was thrust into the action following an injury to starting safety Tao Johnson in Week One, and he has not wavered in his duties thus far.
Sep 26, 2026; College Park, Maryland, USA; UCLA Bruins wide receiver Aidan Mizell (1) races toward the end zone on an 83-yard pass reception for a touchdown in the second half against the Maryland Terrapins at SECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
There is truly no better outcome than what Aidan Mizell's first catch as a Bruin resulted in. Mizell caught about a 12-yard pass from Iamaleava and changed course by darting to the opposite side of the field, where he was able to turn on the jets for an 83-yard touchdown.
It ended up being his only reception of the game, but it was memorable indeed. If he's able to stay healthy and get more involved, he has shown he can be a major contributor for this offense moving forward. This wide receiver room has been banged up to start the season, and Mizell has dealt with injuries all season long.
Sep 26, 2026; College Park, Maryland, USA; UCLA Bruins wide receiver Aidan Mizell (1) dances in the end zone with wide receiver Landon Ellis (11) and wide receiver Semaj Morgan (4) after catching an 83-yard touchdown reception in the second half against the Maryland Terrapins at SECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
If the unit, with an emphasis on Mizell, can stay healthy, it can be an immensely deep and talented group that will have a major hand in UCLA's hopeful success this season.
Sahir West has had a relatively quiet season so far, but had his best game of the year against Maryland, in my opinion. He was a constant presence and a major reason Maryland couldn't get anything going on offense. He put pressure on Malik Washington and got home for an impressive sack that resulted in a major loss.
Sep 26, 2026; College Park, Maryland, USA; Maryland Terrapins quarterback Malik Washington (7) is hit from behind just as he throws by UCLA Bruins defensive line Sahir West (15) in the first half at SECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
He seems a bit raw as a prospect, and you can tell he still has the potential to grow as a player, which is scary. If he can continue to get better as the season goes on, as I imagine he will, he could show up big time during UCLA's tougher stretches of conference play.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/ucla as 3 UCLA Players Who Could Break Out After Bye Week .
