This post was updated Dec. 4 at 10:55 p.m.

With their season officially behind them, the Bruins have a new challenge in front of them: navigating the complex world of collegiate roster construction.

With 2025 early signing day kicking off Wednesday, the transfer portal opening next Monday and players declaring for the NFL Draft throughout the next month, UCLA football will continue to undergo extensive changes in the coming weeks.

Signing day

The Bruins signed 17 high school seniors while losing three commits during the early period for signing grant-in-aid agreements, which opened Wednesday.

“It’s been a real rollercoaster ride today,” said coach DeShaun Foster. “That’s what recruiting is.”

UCLA’s incoming class, which dropped in rankings from 35th to 50th nationally following the decommits according to 247Sports, will be Foster’s first since his hiring in February.

The Bruins lost their top recruit – four-star defensive end Epi Sitanilei – to the Buckeyes, as the Bellflower, California, local flipped his commitment at his official signing to join Ohio State.

Two other UCLA commits followed suit, as Long Beach Polytechnic High School teammates four-star quarterback Madden Iamaleava and three-star wide receiver Jace Brown both flipped to Arkansas.

However, the Bruins managed to flip two players to their recruiting class, adding three-star defensive end Lucien Holland from his original commitment to Boise State and three-star defensive back LaRue Zamorano from Michigan State.

Flipping Holland was especially crucial for defensive depth after UCLA failed to recruit a single defensive lineman in its last recruiting class.

“I got a late start on the 2025 class,” Foster said. “But the talent we got, being able to flip guys, that’s pretty exciting. It’s just showing you what we could do once we really get in there.”

With a class that currently comprises of 17 recruits – after only adding 10 last season – Foster said he anticipates a few more high school entries that will be supplemented by transfer portal additions.

“​​We have a lot of early enrollees,” Foster said. “Guys are going to be here for spring, and that’s huge for them. Potentially, a lot of guys should get the opportunity to play.”

Further transfer departures

Following the departures of junior running back T.J. Harden and redshirt sophomore quarterback Justyn Martin, the Bruins lost redshirt senior Logan Loya and three defensive backs to the transfer portal as well.

Loya, a former four-star recruit, announced his intent to search for a new home Wednesday morning on the social media platform X. UCLA’s third-leading receiver in 2024 has a year of eligibility remaining after participating in 47 games over his five-year Bruin career – where he racked up 1,314 receiving yards and 12 touchdown receptions.

“Logan, that’s my guy,” Foster said. “We had a big relationship. It was really tough, but I wish guys luck. If that’s what they think they need to do, then good luck.”

After accumulating 655 yards last season, Loya’s figures dipped this season as he managed just 348.

Prior to Loya’s announcement, defensive backs redshirt freshman R.J. Jones, redshirt junior D.J. Justice and redshirt sophomore Clint Stephens all entered the portal as well. The three defensemen only saw three total games of action combined this season, but will hurt the Bruins’ depth charts as multiple first-stringers will graduate following this season.

The Bruins currently stand at seven transfers out and one in – redshirt junior wide receiver Jaedon Wilson from Arkansas – with the portal set to officially open December 9th.

With the losses of redshirt senior quarterback Ethan Garbers, Martin, Iamaleava and a major blow to his team’s safety depth, Foster will have his work cut out for him in the transfer portal, especially finding someone to lead his offense next season.

“We most definitely have to get a quarterback,” Foster said. “You always want to beef up the O-line and D-line. We also have a couple safety spots that are open.”

NFL Draft declarations

Among UCLA’s 42 seniors, two Bruins have officially declared for the 2025 NFL Draft following the exhaustion of their college eligibility.

Starters redshirt senior linebacker Kain Medrano and redshirt senior defensive back Bryan Addison both announced their declarations on both Instagram and X.

Medrano was named to the All-Big Ten Third Team on Tuesday after six seasons with the Bruins, where he racked up a combined total of 196 tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions and five forced fumbles.

Addison, a former four-star recruit who transferred from Oregon for his final collegiate season, accumulated 31 tackles and caught two interceptions this season, including a 96-yard pick six against his former team.

With other Bruins expected to declare as well – including redshirt junior linebacker Carson Schwesinger, Garbers and redshirt junior wide receiver J.Michael Sturdivant – their announcements will have to come out over the coming weeks prior to the hard deadline for declaration Jan.15.