UCLA Football 2015: 5 Winners from Spring Practice

With spring practice officially over, the prudent thing to do would be to have a reflective take on the UCLA Bruins football team.

Fortunately for head coach Jim Mora, there were no serious injuries. Many of the physical ailments were nagging muscle pulls or small nicks.

Here we will take a look at five players who've performed exceptionally well throughout the spring practice season. Many stalwarts on the team—such as Myles Jack, Eddie Vanderdoes, Paul Perkins and Jordan Payton—have all steadily improved from a year ago.

While the quartet fits the requirements to appear as "winners" throughout the spring, this piece opts to focus on players who've both surprised and improved from their predicted places on the team heading into camp.

The five mentioned here are listed alphabetically and will follow after the jump.

Jordan Lasley

Throughout spring camp, Jordan Lasley flashed his penchant for making explosive plays with the football in his hands.

The receiver out of Junipero Serra High School is unique from the standpoint that he has arguably the best combination of speed, quickness and leaping ability of any receiver on the roster. During the Spring Showcase, he demonstrated a taste of his immense talent—making a wonderful one-handed grab with two defenders draped all over him.

Lasley has made a push this offseason as a redshirt freshman. If he can keep his emotions in check and play with self-control, he could be a big piece to the puzzle heading into this season.

Conor McDermott

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Offensive tackle Conor McDermott.

Conor McDermott has not only solidified himself as UCLA's starting left tackle, but he may have also cemented his status as the best offensive lineman on the entire team.

Tracy Pierson and David Woods of Bruin Report Online both gushed about McDermott's spring on a recent podcast (starting at the 10-minute, 10-second mark). He was also dominant during the live-play period of the Spring Showcase.

Being a former tight end, McDermott is blessed with terrific feet and lateral quickness. At 6'9", he also has considerable length for the position. Men his size aren't meant to bend as well he can.

McDermott's emergence is key on a number of levels. For one, he could anchor the best and most experienced UCLA offensive line in over a decade. Secondly, he could be blocking the blind side of a true freshman quarterback in Josh Rosen.

Marcus Rios

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Defensive back Marcus Rios defending a pass against a Cal receiver.

After overcoming a life-threatening infection earlier in his career, Marcus Rios may have secured a starting spot as a corner opposite returning starter Fabian Moreau.

The Elk Grove, California, native was impressive throughout camp. Perhaps he demonstrated the biggest development with his physical look. Rios is absolutely yoked—possessing pythons for arms that would be registered as more dangerous than any snake seen in Southeast Asia.

Rios' overall length was on display during the showcase. He made two big plays in coverage—where he batted balls away on deep throws over the top.

Per Jack Wang of the Los Angeles Daily News, Rios has been taking the first-team reps at corner. He's been impressive enough to the point where UCLA has moved first-team All-Pac-12 corner Ishmael Adams to the nickel spot.

Credit Rios for being resilient throughout this process of getting healthy and making an impact at the collegiate level.

Josh Rosen

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Josh Rosen has lived up to the hype early in his UCLA career.

The quarterback from St. John Bosco High School was, by all accounts, the most impressive signal-caller during camp. His knowledge of the offense is incredibly advanced, and his physical tools have been impressive.

Both Edward Lewis of Bruin Sports Report and Joey Kaufman of the Orange County Register have been effusive in their praise of Rosen this spring.

During the Spring Showcase, Rosen went 13-of-17 with two touchdown throws and an interception. He looked to be in full command of the offense, made the proper reads on zone-read situations and had undeniable power behind all of his throws.

At this point, he looks like the odds-on favorite to claim the starting job heading into the summer.

Nate Starks

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Nate Starks running the rock.

Although UCLA returns the Pac-12's leading rusher from 2014 in Perkins, it was lacking a true second-string back.

Nate Starks has since made that worry disappear. The back out of Las Vegas had a good spring for the Bruins. Per Woods (starting at the 38:20 mark),  "[Starks] has been incredibly impressive this spring."

Woods and Pierson both lauded his future as a tailback in UCLA's system and also mentioned his improvement in running with a lower pad level. They also mentioned that Starks has revamped his body—becoming slimmer and quicker.

Starks looked explosive in the spring game. There's a noticeable difference in regard to his burst hitting the hole.

With Perkins and Starks in tow, UCLA has a talented two-headed monster in the backfield for 2015. Add in elite incoming freshman Soso Jamabo, and the Bruins may have the deepest running back corps in the conference.