UCLA Football: 4 Bruins Who Could Surprise Some People This Spring

With spring practice starting on March 31, fans of the UCLA football program will get a chance to see the up-and-coming members of the squad. 

There are four current members of the team possessing the capability of surprising some people this spring. The quartet in question are comprised of young, inexperienced players.

Two of the four athletes in question were out all of last year with serious injuries. One played sparingly as a true freshman last year, and another is vying for a significant starting position. 

This piece will look at four Bruins with the potential to each make a name for themselves during the upcoming spring practice period. 

Cameron Griffin

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Outside linebacker Cameron Griffin.

Cameron Griffin is an interesting the case. 

The Los Angeles native redshirted as a true freshman due to a shoulder injury. At 6'3", 225 pounds, the linebacker is versatile enough to play both inside and outside. 

He's got a lot of natural—albeit raw—ability. Not only did he star for his high school team, but Griffin was also an elite rugby player. 

Now fully healthy, Griffin could make some noise and impact the depth chart as a reserve linebacker. At the very worst, one would expect the View Park Prep High School product to see time on special teams. 

Austin Roberts

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Wide receiver Austin Roberts.

A torn ACL robbed Austin Roberts of his true freshman year.

Roberts was likely primed to contribute early for the Bruins. At 6'2", 215 pounds, the receiver was the Indiana state champion in the 100-meter dash during his prep days at Carmel High School. His combination of size and speed would have been an interesting element within the wide receiver corps. 

Now back from injury, it will be fascinating to see how he figures into the mix at the position. Roberts' polish as a player likely can be directly attributed to his father, Alfredo Roberts. The elder Roberts played in the NFL and is the current tight ends coach of the Indianapolis Colts.

Even if younger Roberts doesn't initially regain his pre-injury explosiveness, the technical side of his game should be strong. A strong fall camp could also equal a spot in the rotation behind fellow receivers Jordan Payton and Devin Lucien. 

NaJee Toran

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Offensive guard NaJee Toran.

Due to the attrition on the offensive line, true freshman NaJee Toran was forced into action as the starting left guard during UCLA's season opener at Virginia. 

The Houston native struggled immensely in the contest. It's to be expected—considering Toran's first taste of college football came on the road 3,000 miles away from the campus in Westwood. 

Once the starting unit regained its health, Toran saw little time the remainder of the season. At 6'1", 275 pounds, he's considerably undersized for a guard position. 

Why is he a potential surprise in the spring? There's a reasonable chance he could switch positions and end up on the defensive line. 

Toran is a nasty competitor. He plays with aggressiveness and violence. At his size, Toran should be able to garner good leverage as a defensive tackle.

With depth concerns behind starters Eddie Vanderdoes and Kenny Clark—coupled with the depth offensive line coach Adrian Klemm has brought into the program along the offensive line—it makes sense to at least experiment with Toran on the defensive side of the football. 

Asiantii Woulard

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Quarterback Asiantii Woulard.

Most people expect wunderkind Josh Rosen to take over the starting quarterback job from the departed Brett Hundley. If not Rosen, perhaps the gregarious Jerry Neuheisel. 

The third quarterback in the derby—Asiantii Woulard—could stake his claim with a strong performance in the spring. Woulard entered UCLA with some hype. A former 4-star recruit, the Orlando native was named the Elite 11 MVP during his senior year of high school. 

However, this brilliance has yet to transfer over to the collegiate level. Neuheisel won the backup job to Hundley last year. As a result, Woulard's development may have stalled a bit. 

With that said, Woulard has terrific arm strength and above-average athleticism. He needs to continue to improve on the nuances and intricacies of the position.

The physical tools are there for Woulard to become a potentially very good college signal-caller.