After watching the rookies for the last three weeks or so, here are my freshmen rankings. The list doesn't necessarily mean what the player will do this year, but more what his overall impact at UCLA might be throughout his career:
1. Darnay Holmes
-He went a week, maybe even more, without giving up a notable catch in 11-on-11s. He had multiple picks in 1-on-1s, and even raised a few eyebrows in the return game. He should be a three-and-done guy for UCLA.
2. Jaelan Phillips
-After a monster first week, Phillips cooled off a bit. He got nicked up in the middle of camp, which probably contributed to his lack of production. He had a big sack on Saturday, though, and looks poised to be a Freshman All-American pass rusher.
3. Mo Osling
-Already running with the twos, Osling flashed the length, the size, the ball skills and everything else you want to see from a big corner. He could play safety for UCLA, too.
4. Greg Rogers
-The big DT gets dominated in 1-on-1s, but he's productive as any DL in 11-on-11s.
5. Stephan Zabie
-His last week of camp left a lot to be desired, but the raw tools are so good. He has the size, the feet, the athleticism -- everything you want to see in a freshman tackle. His camp was very similar to the one Kolton Miller had as a true freshman.
6.Jay Shaw
-Only two cornerbacks had more productive camps than Shaw: Nate Meadors and Holmes. He recorded several interceptions and looks like a future multi-year starter.
7. Jimmy Jaggers
-The knock on Jaggers in high school was his hands, but he didn't have many, if any, key drops this camp. He, too, looks like a future multi-year starter.
8. Odua Isibor
-Isibor is very raw, but like Zabie, the toolbox is loaded. He's super bendy and he has great quickness and length. His body type and skillset are similar to Takk McKinley's.
9. Rahyme Johnson
-Johnson had some great reps in 1-on-1s and was in on several plays in 11-on-11s this past week as well. Once he gets the required weight on him, he should be a starter at UCLA, especially on passing downs.
10. Moses Robinson-Carr
-He lumbers when he runs and his hands aren't the best, but he's big and he moves well for being big. A blocking tight end, or maybe even defensive end is probably in his future. But either way, his athleticism at that size should make him a contributor at UCLA.
11. Quentin Lake
-Lake doesn't have any elite tools, but he seems to have a good football IQ. At worst, he should be a good special teamer for UCLA.
12. Elijah Gates
-I expected to see more from Gates, who was Darnay Holmes-lite in high school. He's undersized and didn't play with much confidence this camp.
13. Martin Andrus
-He's a big boy and he has good quickness for his size, but he lacks an elite trait. For Rogers, that elite trait is power, which is why he's so high on this list. But Andrus has average hands, average motor, average power. His ceiling just doesn't seem to be huge, even though his floor is a solid two-deep D-lineman.
14. Austin Burton
-Burton fell back down to earth after a good start to camp. The arm strength just isn't there. A Jerry Neuheisel-type career seems likely.
15, 16, 17. Jax Wacaser, Sean Seawards, Zach Sweeney
-I didn't see Wacaser at all in the last week or two of camp. I assume he's injured. Sweeney looks like a walk-on. Seawards has a shot, just because he's such a massive body, but still, quick D-linemen eat him up.
Here's how I had them mid-camp:
1. Jaelan Phillips
2. Darnay Holmes
3. Mo Osling
4. Greg Rogers
5. Stephan Zabie
6. Jay Shaw
7. Jimmy Jaggers
8. Austin Burton
9. Elijah Gates
10. Odua Isibor
11. Moses Robinson-Carr
12. Rahyme Johnson
13. Martin Andrus
14. Quentin Lake
15. Jax Wacaser
16. Sean Seawards
17. Zach Sweeney
For reference, here's how I had them ranked coming out of high school:
1. Jaelan Phillips
2. Darnay Holmes
3. Greg Rogers
4. Elijah Gates
5. Kanan Ray (Greyshirting now after offseason surgery)
6. Jimmy Jaggers
7. Jay Shaw
8. Stephan Zabie
9. Moses Robinson-Carr
10. Quentin Lake
11. Rahyme Johnson
12. Martin Andrus
13. Mo Osling
14. Odua Isibor
15. Jax Wacaser
16. Austin Burton
17. Zach Sweeney
18. Sean Seawards
1. Darnay Holmes
-He went a week, maybe even more, without giving up a notable catch in 11-on-11s. He had multiple picks in 1-on-1s, and even raised a few eyebrows in the return game. He should be a three-and-done guy for UCLA.
2. Jaelan Phillips
-After a monster first week, Phillips cooled off a bit. He got nicked up in the middle of camp, which probably contributed to his lack of production. He had a big sack on Saturday, though, and looks poised to be a Freshman All-American pass rusher.
3. Mo Osling
-Already running with the twos, Osling flashed the length, the size, the ball skills and everything else you want to see from a big corner. He could play safety for UCLA, too.
4. Greg Rogers
-The big DT gets dominated in 1-on-1s, but he's productive as any DL in 11-on-11s.
5. Stephan Zabie
-His last week of camp left a lot to be desired, but the raw tools are so good. He has the size, the feet, the athleticism -- everything you want to see in a freshman tackle. His camp was very similar to the one Kolton Miller had as a true freshman.
6.Jay Shaw
-Only two cornerbacks had more productive camps than Shaw: Nate Meadors and Holmes. He recorded several interceptions and looks like a future multi-year starter.
7. Jimmy Jaggers
-The knock on Jaggers in high school was his hands, but he didn't have many, if any, key drops this camp. He, too, looks like a future multi-year starter.
8. Odua Isibor
-Isibor is very raw, but like Zabie, the toolbox is loaded. He's super bendy and he has great quickness and length. His body type and skillset are similar to Takk McKinley's.
9. Rahyme Johnson
-Johnson had some great reps in 1-on-1s and was in on several plays in 11-on-11s this past week as well. Once he gets the required weight on him, he should be a starter at UCLA, especially on passing downs.
10. Moses Robinson-Carr
-He lumbers when he runs and his hands aren't the best, but he's big and he moves well for being big. A blocking tight end, or maybe even defensive end is probably in his future. But either way, his athleticism at that size should make him a contributor at UCLA.
11. Quentin Lake
-Lake doesn't have any elite tools, but he seems to have a good football IQ. At worst, he should be a good special teamer for UCLA.
12. Elijah Gates
-I expected to see more from Gates, who was Darnay Holmes-lite in high school. He's undersized and didn't play with much confidence this camp.
13. Martin Andrus
-He's a big boy and he has good quickness for his size, but he lacks an elite trait. For Rogers, that elite trait is power, which is why he's so high on this list. But Andrus has average hands, average motor, average power. His ceiling just doesn't seem to be huge, even though his floor is a solid two-deep D-lineman.
14. Austin Burton
-Burton fell back down to earth after a good start to camp. The arm strength just isn't there. A Jerry Neuheisel-type career seems likely.
15, 16, 17. Jax Wacaser, Sean Seawards, Zach Sweeney
-I didn't see Wacaser at all in the last week or two of camp. I assume he's injured. Sweeney looks like a walk-on. Seawards has a shot, just because he's such a massive body, but still, quick D-linemen eat him up.
Here's how I had them mid-camp:
1. Jaelan Phillips
2. Darnay Holmes
3. Mo Osling
4. Greg Rogers
5. Stephan Zabie
6. Jay Shaw
7. Jimmy Jaggers
8. Austin Burton
9. Elijah Gates
10. Odua Isibor
11. Moses Robinson-Carr
12. Rahyme Johnson
13. Martin Andrus
14. Quentin Lake
15. Jax Wacaser
16. Sean Seawards
17. Zach Sweeney
For reference, here's how I had them ranked coming out of high school:
1. Jaelan Phillips
2. Darnay Holmes
3. Greg Rogers
4. Elijah Gates
5. Kanan Ray (Greyshirting now after offseason surgery)
6. Jimmy Jaggers
7. Jay Shaw
8. Stephan Zabie
9. Moses Robinson-Carr
10. Quentin Lake
11. Rahyme Johnson
12. Martin Andrus
13. Mo Osling
14. Odua Isibor
15. Jax Wacaser
16. Austin Burton
17. Zach Sweeney
18. Sean Seawards
