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While the University of California at Los Angeles is known for the days of John Wooden, Bill Walton, and the ten national titles won between 1964 and 1975, the football program has also given the National Football League some great talent. From Hall of Famers like quarterback Troy Aikman or offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden, plenty of stars have come from UCLA and that hasn’t changed today. Let’s take a look at five great UCLA alumni in the NFL, including a few more recent picks.
Jaelan Phillips | Defensive Lineman
Phillips has had a long road to NFL success, most recently a star in HBO’s in-season version of Hard Knocks with the Miami Dolphins. That long road got even longer when he suffered a heartbreaking Achilles injury during the Dolphins’ Thanksgiving matchup against the Jets. Injuries have been a constant factor in Phillips’ career. These injuries included a concussion and being hit by a car before he medically retired from football in 2018 while attending UCLA. He enrolled in Los Angeles City College before transferring to the University of Miami with hopes of playing football again.
After a strong 2020 campaign, Phillips landed on many team draft boards, leading to him forgoing his remaining eligibility and entering the 2021 NFL draft. The Dolphins selected him with the 18th pick of the 1st round, and while avoiding significant injuries, made an immediate contribution. He was in the midst of a career year, with 6.5 sacks through just eight games, before his Achilles tear ended another season prematurely. However, Miami is already a strong football betting favorite, so he could return to have another big season.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson | Quarterback
While many players on this list were expected to be impact players, Dorian Thompson-Robinson wasn’t. That is, at least not immediately. After being second-team All-Pac-12 in 2020 and 2021, Thompson-Robinson was drafted by the Browns in the 5th round of the 2023 NFL draft. He entered the season as the 4th quarterback on the roster, behind Deshaun Watson, Joshua Dobbs, and Kellen Mond. However, when Dobbs was traded to the Cardinals, Thompson-Robinson beat out Mond for the backup job.
He played in eight games in 2023 due to injuries at the quarterback position, including making his first three career starts after Watson was injured. The 23-year-old led the Browns to a 13–10 win over the Steelers in one of those starts. Despite that, Thompson-Robinson struggled, throwing just one touchdown alongside four interceptions on the season.
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Kolton Miller | Offensive Lineman
After starting for UCLA as a tackle in both 2015 and 2017, being a second-team All-Pac-12 in 2017, Miller became one of the best draft prospects from UCLA in recent memory. At 6’9″ and 325 pounds, Miller ran a 4.95 40-yard dash at the combine, giving him a rare combination of speed and size. The then Oakland Raiders selected him with the 15th pick of the 2018 NFL Draft, making Miller their starting left tackle from the start. Across his first four seasons, Millers started 63 of 65 possible games for the Raiders, and while he isn’t the most recognizable player at the position, he has arguably been a star.
In April of 2021, the Raiders rewarded him with a three-year, $54 million extension. He missed just one game between the contract’s first two years before struggling with injuries in 2023.
Kenny Clark | Defensive Lineman
As we approach the end of this list, we come to players who have been in the league longer, including Kenny Clark. The defensive tackle had a decorated career at UCLA, including being a third-team All-American and a first-team All-Pac-12 player in 2015. That performance was impressive enough that the Green Bay Packers selected Clark with the 27th pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.
He has been one of the most consistently productive defensive linemen in the league. Clark has been voted to three Pro Bowls and has played in over 90% of games played by the Packers since they drafted him. Since his second year, he has been a starter and his first five years in the league earned Clark a four-year, $70 million extension before the 2020 season. His performances in the postseason have been outstanding, logging 5.5 sacks in just 10 games.
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Eric Kendricks | Inside Linebacker
There have been a lot of great players coming out of UCLA in the past decade, but few if any have been as productive as Eric Kendricks. A three-year starter for the Bruins between 2011 and 2014, Kendricks is UCLA’s all-time leading tackler, with 481. He was a first-team All-American in 2014, winning the Butkus Award given to the best linebacker in the country after logging 145 tackles, four sacks, and 11.5 tackles for loss.
Despite that, Kendricks wasn’t selected until the second round of the draft, falling to Minnesota. He became an almost immediate starter, ending his rookie year with 92 tackles and four sacks. The performance earned him a spot on PFWA’s All-Rookie team. Since he came into the league in 2015, only Bobby Wagner and Lavonte David have more tackles than Kendricks. He was a first-team All-Pro and a Pro Bowler in 2019 after signing a five-year, $50 million contract with the Vikings in 2018. After being cut by Minnesota in 2023, he signed a two-year, $13.25 million contract with the Los Angeles Chargers
Which UCLA Players Might Be Next?
Along with young former Bruins like running back Zach Charbonnet who is already making an impact in Seattle, UCLA’s defensive line could be next. Laiatu Latu is the team’s highest-graded NFL prospect, while fellow defensive lineman Gabriel Murphy comes in right behind him. Listen for those names in the coming years.
