As UCLA football enters its first year under coach Bob Chesney and its third season in the Big Ten, Daily Bruin Sports will preview the personnel of the Bruins’ position groups and predict their 2026 outlook prior to the season’s opening game Sept. 5 against California. Assistant Sports editor Steven Chaparyan keeps the series rolling with a look at the squad’s wide receivers and tight ends.
Personnel
Last season, the Bruins’ top receiver – now-Nebraska Cornhusker Kwazi Gilmer – recorded 50 receptions for 535 yards. Despite sitting atop the squad, his performance was 178th in the nation in receiving yards and reflected a larger theme of poor production from Westwood’s receiver room.
As a team, UCLA ranked in the bottom 10 among all FBS schools in long passing plays of 20-, 30- and 40-plus yards. While the group had some effective pieces on its roster, its passing game consistently seemed to falter overall.
But ahead of the coming campaign, some new Bruins will look to use their experience to change that narrative.
After losing all but one of its top four receivers from last season, UCLA welcomes several transfers who will make an immediate impact under first-year wide receivers coach Colin Lockett.
Fifth-year San Jose State transfer Leland Smith may have had the most productive 2025 campaign among the newcomers, tallying 43 receptions for 688 yards and three touchdowns. Named an All-Mountain West Honorable Mention after recording the eighth-most receiving yards in the conference, Smith brings a physical 6-foot-4 frame that allows him to outmuscle defenders and haul in difficult catches.
Senior Landon Ellis, who spent last season with head coach Bob Chesney at James Madison, will likely be in competition with Smith as the No. 1 option. Ellis recorded 36 receptions for 624 yards and five touchdowns with the Dukes, earning a Third Team All-Sun Belt nod. The Orange, Virginia, local possesses crafty route-running skills and the ability to create separation from defenders when given little room to operate.
Smith and Ellis are joined by a pair of SEC transfers in senior Aidan Mizell from Florida and sophomore Brian Rowe Jr. from South Carolina. Their experience down south will prove crucial to a Bruin squad looking to move up the Big Ten ranks.
A consensus four-star recruit in the class of 2023, Mizell is known for his exceptional speed, totaling 404 receiving yards alongside three touchdowns across three seasons in Gainesville. Though he wasn’t the Gators’ first option, his ability to change pace and rack up after-catch yards may foreshadow a breakout year in Los Angeles.
Rowe, who saw action in 11 contests with the Gamecocks last year, tallied 19 receptions for 149 yards and one touchdown. He is likely to support the receiver room and see a higher volume of targets next season from senior quarterback Nico Iamaleava.
Rounding out some notable transfer receivers is senior Semaj Morgan. Across his three seasons at Michigan, Morgan recorded 566 receiving yards on 69 catches for four touchdowns. The Wolverine faithful may be more familiar with his explosiveness as a punt and kickoff returner, though, given his 12 kickoffs for 186 total yards. Nevertheless, Morgan’s quick first step will be beneficial for mixing up defenders immediately after snaps.
Alongside its new names, UCLA retains one of its triple-digit receivers from last season. Now-senior Mikey Matthews appeared in 11 games for the Bruins in 2025, placing second on the team with 33 receptions for 348 yards. Averaging 10.5 yards per catch, Matthews is poised once more to be one of Iamaleava’s top targets.
The tight end room is set for a similar reconstruction.
Former Bruin Hudson Habermehl headlined the position last season with 20 receptions for 138 yards, but the room still struggled with receiving and blocking. Consequently, UCLA wasn’t able to generate much momentum on the ground, averaging just 4.5 yards per carry.
With Habermehl exhausting his eligibility, the Bruins will welcome fresh tight end talent with plenty of Power Four experience ahead of the coming season.
Senior Josh Phifer – another Duke-turned-Bruin – tallied four catches for 40 yards and a touchdown last season across 12 outings. Standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing 258 pounds, Phifer was mostly a blocker, using his large frame to generate room for the ground game while also being a physical target for 50/50 balls.
Making the move to Westwood from the ACC are fifth-year Harry Lodge from Wake Forest and sophomore Stevie Amar Jr. from Boston College. Despite missing much of the last season because of injury, Lodge had a highly productive 2024 season – tallying 12 catches for 110 yards while averaging 9.17 yards per reception. Amar also brings youth and athleticism to the tight end room, though he used a redshirt year as a true freshman with the Eagles.
Lastly, fifth-year Brayden Loftin comes to Westwood from Kansas State after supporting an effective run game with the Wildcats. Standing 6-foot-4, Loftin’s blocking helped Kansas State place No. 11 in the nation in rushing yards per game at 215.5. The Omaha local played in all 12 games with the Wildcats last season, making six catches for 55 yards. He will serve as another piece to help bolster the Bruins’ run game next season.
Predictions
For both the wide receiver and tight end rooms, it seems more likely the Bruin faithful will see a group effort rather than one name running ahead of the pack.
The receivers’ consistent starting group will likely comprise Ellis, Matthews and Smith. Already a frequent target last season, Matthews has the opportunity to build upon his connection with Iamaleava as he steps into a primary receiver position.
Ellis and Smith bring size and strength to the room, which will prove to be crucial for the Bruins after a 2025 campaign during which receivers were often beaten to the ball and outmuscled during contests. Smith’s 6-foot-4 frame will allow him to elevate over defenders to make catches, while Ellis’ route-running abilities will help create adequate separation.
Seeing frequent reps and possibly even a handful of starts will likely be Mizell, Morgan and Rowe. The trio served as reliable pieces at their former schools, despite not being the first option on pass plays. Mizell and Rowe have experience in an SEC widely believed to be quicker-paced and more physical than other conferences, while Morgan’s speed even proved him useful as a special teams piece.
Lockett is also welcoming a talented class of freshman receivers who could see limited, but beneficial, game action in their first year of college football. Headlining the group is Kenneth Moore III – a four-star recruit, according to ESPN and Rivals. The Stockton, California, local totaled 6,541 all-purpose yards throughout his high school career, bringing in 59 receptions for 945 yards and 11 touchdowns in his senior campaign.
For the tight ends, Lodge is likely to be the primary target. The fifth-year made at least one catch in nine of 10 games throughout the 2024 season, largely aided by his 6-foot-7 frame. Amar will likely play a similar but lower-volume role, capitalizing on his raw athleticism and ability to generate yards-after-catch.
Phifer and Loftin should be expected to take on more blocking-heavy assignments, as the two were integral pieces to highly effective run games at their previous schools. The pair can still catch the ball, though, and may be used in crucial third-down situations should Iamaleava opt for short-to-medium passing routes.
The Bruin offense is looking to turn things around, and bringing in an abundance of experience at both of these positions may be the way to do so.
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