Receiver Kenny Walker is a wild card for the UCLA offense, according to Athlon Sports, while linebacker Jayon Brown is the defense’s wild card.
I would agree with calling Walker a wild card on offense, especially after head coach Jim Mora spoke so highly of him after spring camp. Mora said Walker could be one of the biggest surprises in the country.
There are a lot of potential wild cards on defense outside of just Brown. Brown, one of the team’s defensive captains, had a great spring practice.
One of my personal wild cards would be Eddie Vanderdoes, and more specifically, Eddie Vanderdoes’ knee. How well he is able to recovery from surgery will be a big factor in how the defensive line does. Many are projecting a big year for the 6-foot-3, 305-pound defensive lineman. He was named one of the nation’s top 101 players by Pro Football Focus and was a third-team All-American in Athlon Sports’ preseason list. However, all of that in contingent on his knee.
Who are your wild cards on offense and defense?
Other links:
- Daniel McClinktick (men’s water polo) and Danusia Francis (gymnastics) were named UCLA’s Tom Hansen Conference Medal winners. The Pac-12 recognizes one male and one female senior athlete from each school who are best able to combine “performance and achievement in scholarship, athletics and leadership.”
- SB Nation projects UCLA to the Holiday Bowl against Michigan State.