UCLA Football: Nothing Can Happen to These 5 Players

The margin of error is slim for the UCLA football team.

Personnel wise, the team is on the younger side. With youth comes a lack of experience and, ultimately, a lack of depth that can be depended upon.

It's imperative that the prominent players on the roster stay healthy for the duration of the season. If they can, some success can be had.

Let's take a look at five players that need to stay healthy this upcoming season for the Bruins.

TE Joe Fauria

Joe Fauria figures to be a centerpiece in the spread offense implemented by new offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone.

The 6'7" tight end is truly a walking mismatch with his gargantuan frame.

The combination of his height and long arms allow for him to pluck the ball out of the air like a farmer plucking an apple out of a tree.

His speed for a man of his size is impressive, as is the awareness of his body in correspondence to a defender.

Fauria almost displays body control reminiscent of a power forward boxing out on a rebound attempt.

The Crespi High School product is the leading returning receiver for the team. He'll look to capitalize on a solid season which saw him catch six touchdowns.

Fauria will be targeted frequently in the red zone, as well as on patterns that exploit seams down the heart of the field.

The play of the Notre Dame transfer will be significant for the offense. In this transitional period, ample time will take place in order to incorporate all of the idiosyncrasies and principles of the spread.

If anything, Fauria is the one "known commodity" amidst the receiver group. He'll most certainly be the security blanket for the starting quarterback (whoever that may be).

He is considered a top NFL prospect in 2013.

RB Johnathan Franklin

Johnathan Franklin will have to be the "bell cow" back for UCLA this season.

The Dorsey High School product led the Bruins with 976 yards rushing last season. The next best total by a returning UCLA running back is 103 yards by rising junior Malcolm Jones.

Suffice it to say, Franklin will be depended upon a great deal.

With little experience behind Franklin, the Bruins pray that the senior stays healthy.

One aspect in the Bruins' favor is the spread offense that they'll be integrating this season. A higher number of skill players will be utilized in the upcoming year.

As a result, Franklin won't necessarily have to carry the ball 20-25 times a game.

DE Datone Jones

A huge problem plaguing UCLA defensive efforts last season was a consistent lack of a pash-rush.

The one player with some consistency in that capacity was Datone Jones.

The Compton native finished last season with 6.5 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks. Those numbers are quite modest, but he led the team in both categories.

With UCLA transitioning to a 3-4 defense, Jones should fit in perfectly with his skill set.

However, a question with Jones has been his overall consistency. One minute he can look like a world beater, and the next he'll look very pedestrian.

The Bruins hope that Jones can consistently be a disruptive force in the backfield for the duration of the season.

With that said, Jones is unquestionably the top returning defensive lineman for the team. His health is key for a unit that produced very little last season.

CB Sheldon Price

Senior cornerback Sheldon Price is the most experienced member of the Bruins' secondary.

Price has been a four-year starter for UCLA. His slight frame has always been a question mark, but there are no qualms about his physical tools.

Blessed with great size (6'2") for the position, Price utilizes his long arms to disrupt the pass-catching ability of his adversaries.

His long strides allow for him to stay with receivers on deep patterns, and he has the quickness and agility requisite to stop on a dime and jump routes.

With UCLA's depth in the secondary looking extremely shallow, the Bruins can ill afford to see their lanky senior leader in the secondary get injured.

OT Xavier Su'a-Filo

Xavier Su'a-Filo represents the most important player on the roster this upcoming season.

The Utah native returns to the program after serving a two-year Mormon mission. As a freshman for UCLA, his impact was immense.

He not only started in every contest, but he was a second team Freshman All-American.

Su'a-Filo truly was a steadying force on a unit desperately seeking stability. His combination of outstanding athleticism and wonderful feet make him a tantalizing prospect for the next level.

His return represents a massive improvement on the offensive line. He'll be slotted in as the starting left tackle, protecting the quarterback's blind side.

Returning quarterback Kevin Prince remarked at how much Su'a-Filo was missed during this two-year religious pilgrimage, calling him "the anchor on the line."

Su'a-Filo's potential as a football player is sky high. The bookend could be the first UCLA offensive lineman drafted since Kris Farris in 1999.

His ability to stay healthy is paramount for the success of the offense.