
Only four starters from the UCLA Bruins‘ 2024 opener are projected to be in the starting lineup this fall.
Four.
Out of twenty-two.
That’s not just a little turnover, that’s a full-blown identity shift, and it’s exactly what DeShaun Foster wanted.
After stepping in last year with Chip Kelly’s roster, Foster spent the offseason remaking this thing from the ground up. The result? A lineup that’s younger and more built to survive Big Ten football.
New UCLA Bruins QB, Nico Iamaleava Time
The biggest change is at quarterback. Ethan Garbers is out, Nico Iamaleava is in. The Tennessee transfer and former five-star recruit gives the UCLA Bruins a legit game-changer at the most important position on the field. He’s the kind of talent that can keep you in games even when the play breaks down.
In the backfield, Jaivian Thomas, a Cal transfer, is now RB1. He passed Jalen Berger and filled the T.J. Harden void. If fall camp goes anything like spring ball, the Bruins are going to lean heavily on his burst and contact balance.
New Faces Up Front
The offensive line is mostly new, too. Courtland Ford (LT), Oluwafunto Akinshilo (LG), and Julian Armella (RG) all step into starting roles. Sam Yoon and Garrett DiGiorgio are the only two holdovers from last year’s line. Ford and Armella were projected starters last year, but at different spots, and now they’ve locked in where they fit best.
At receiver, it’s a reshuffle more than a replacement. Kwazi Gilmer moves outside. Titus Mokiao-Atimalala slides over to Z. Mikey Matthews takes over in the slot. J. Michael Sturdivant is gone, but this trio looks faster and more balanced across the board.
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Tight end Hudson Habermehl reclaims TE1 from Jack Pedersen. Pedersen started in 2024, but Habermehl’s blocking and experience give him the edge heading into fall.
Defense, Wiped Clean
Only one returning starter from last year’s defense is still holding down the same job, Siale Taupaki at DT.
Grant Buckey (edge), Keanu Williams (DT), and Devin Aupiu (edge) now headline the front. Jalen Woods and JonJon Vaughns hold down the linebacker spots, with Vaughns shifting inside to replace Carson Schwesinger, who got drafted by the Browns.
At SCB, Louisville transfer Ben Perry takes over for Kaylin Moore. The secondary is almost entirely new. Andre Jordan Jr. (CB), Kanye Clark (CB), Key Lawrence (S), Bryson Threats (S), and Cole Martin (nickel) make up one of the more interesting defensive backfields UCLA’s had in a while.
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A year ago, names like Jay Toia, Kain Medrano, and Bryan Addison were foundational. Now, they’re gone. Replaced by more players who fit Foster’s vision after the previous group got drafted.
Final Tally
Only 4 of 22 starters from last year’s lineup are projected to start in 2025:
- Sam Yoon (C)
- Garrett DiGiorgio (RT)
- Titus Mokiao-Atimalala (now WR-Z)
- Siale Taupaki (DT)
That’s it.
This is a full reset. Foster and his staff took one look at how the team stacked up in the Big Ten and said, “We need dogs.” So they went out and got them.
Now we find out if this new group can gel in time to make real noise. Because one thing’s clear, the UCLA Bruins you saw last year are gone. And the new ones? They might actually be built for this.