This post was updated Aug. 25 at 5:15 p.m.

Inching closer to a new era for UCLA football in the Big Ten, Daily Bruin Sports will preview each of the Bruins’ position groups prior to the season’s official start. Sports editor Ira Gorawara continues the series with a dive into the receiving corps.

Personnel

Though UCLA football’s first-string receiver is still in the mix, sheer luck could still produce a surefire touchdown threat.

Because when redshirt senior Logan Loya – the returning leader in receiving yards – might find himself as the Bruins’ fourth option in the slot, the discussion shifts to the breadth of talent in the team’s receiving lineup.

Redshirt junior and probable NFL first-rounder J.Michael Sturdivant has an edge on Loya, with his dual-threat ability to create separation on the outside and work the middle of the field. At 6-foot-3, he excels in contested catches and leverages his size and speed to stretch the field.

His precise route running and expansive catch radius will make him a reliable target for redshirt senior quarterback Ethan Garbers. Under the guidance of associate head coach and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy’s NFL-caliber offense, Sturdivant could easily surpass last season’s 597 yards, four touchdowns and 36 receptions.

Former coach Chip Kelly secured sophomore Rico Flores Jr. back in December. With a serious case for a starting job, the Notre Dame transfer could be UCLA’s top transfer.

His addition may put the receiving corps in good standing for years to come. Flores was the Fighting Irish’s second-leading receiver in 2023, finishing with 27 receptions for 392 yards and a touchdown. His figures as a true freshman make even Sturdivant’s rookie stats look pedestrian.

Offering as much promise as Flores, redshirt junior Titus Mokiao-Atimalala was sidelined by injury last season but is poised for a return in 2024. As a transfer in 2022, he broke out with 17 receptions for 290 yards in his sophomore campaign.

A deep rapport with Garbers, coupled with a flair for exploiting the defense, gives Mokiao-Atimalala a strong case to become the Bruins’ second-most productive receiver.

The Bruins’ top three wideouts – Mokiao-Atimalala, Sturdivant and Flores – are locked and loaded, but after throwing in Loya, redshirt sophomore Braden Pegan and freshman Kwazi Gilmer, trust is built in the roll of the dice.

But UCLA’s depth doesn’t extend to its tight end room.

Garbers has found his go-to target in senior Moliki Matavao. The Oregon transfer led UCLA with 20.2 yards per catch last season and was a key cog in the quartet that hauled in more than 90% of Garbers’ passes during fall camp.

But the Bruins will be without redshirt senior Hudson Habermehl, who tore his ACL during spring practice. After posting 148 yards, nine receptions and three touchdowns last season, the tight end proved his proficiency in converting tough catches in traffic and being a dependable target in short and intermediate routes.

The Bruins might reel over the loss of their key red zone threat and trusted member of their offensive schemes, forcing attention to shift toward redshirt sophomore Jack Pedersen and Arizona State transfer redshirt senior Bryce Pierre.

Predictions

The receiving corps is where the juxtaposition of conference realignment bursts into vivid relief.

The Big Ten calls to mind a conference grounded in the grit of the trenches and running the ball, while the Pac-12 is predicated on fleet-footed pass catchers and explosive sprinters.

And UCLA lies at the crossroads of this convergence. It boasts a unit with robust depth, continuing to impress through its fifth- and sixth-string receivers.

Sturdivant could be a year from proving himself the Bruins’ best receiver in history, able to singlehandedly swing the program to a bowl game appearance – potentially outclassing UCLA Athletics Hall of Famer J.J. Stokes.

Bieniemy’s football intellect, pass-first offense and flair for reading defenses will keep Sturdivant in rhythm, allowing him to grease the wheels for the entire offense and give Garbers the room to operate.

Add Flores’ expert route running craftsmanship and ability to get open at will, alongside Mokiao-Atimalala’s versatility across all three levels of the defense, and UCLA’s offense will prove a nightmare of a matchup.

If Matavao and tight ends coach Jerry Neuheisel can harness the potential of inexperienced players at the position, the Bruins’ aerial attack only becomes more complicated for their adversaries’ defense.