2023 UCLA football roster outlook

Rosters across college sports are in flux more than ever with the transfer portal. For the UCLA football team, it can change as fast as its recruiting staff can say (or tweet) “BOOM!”

The days of simply accounting for departing seniors and pro draft entrants, while adding incoming recruiting classes, are long gone. Factoring in which players are taking advantage of the extra year of eligibility post-pandemic only makes it that much more difficult. Thus, for this exercise, all redshirt juniors and up on the 2022 roster will be listed as TBD since all intentions in this era are more unclear than ever.

UCLA has already lost a pair of redshirt juniors on defense who will be in search for more playing time elsewhere through the portal. Those with an extra year of eligibility are essentially wild cards and some are more obvious than others.

With that said, here’s what UCLA’s 2023 outlook is with their class standing on the current roster as December begins and the portal opens (*denotes starter):

GONE: Dorian Thompson-Robinson* (eligibility); Chase Artopoeus (transfer portal); Sean Holland (eligibility)

TBD: Chase Griffin, senior (pandemic year option)

REMAINING: Ethan Garbers, redshirt sophomore; Justyn Martin, freshman

INCOMING: Luke Duncan, three-star HS recruit

OUTLOOK: When Thompson-Robinson’s future was uncertain last offseason, the Bruins went into the portal and briefly had Dillon Gabriel set to join the team until DTR made the decision to come back. Consider Garbers the de facto front-runner for the 2023 starting job, but it’s far from a sure thing based off last offseason. With a year to sit and watch, Martin and his strong arm should help make for a strong spring camp competition. Just don’t be surprised if the Bruins go into the portal to add to the mix.