Breaking down UCLA's quarterback room

UCLA has been flying under the radar this summer as a potential impact team in the Pac-12 conference. But J.D. PicKell of The Hard Count thinks they have real potential to be a “boom” team when they step on the field a few months from now.

It’s all dependent, he said this week, on how they perform under center — and more specifically, the performance of five-star freshman quarterback Dante Moore.

“Here’s my question: How good can their quarterback play be?,” PicKell said. “Cause Chip Kelly. one of the best offensive minds in college football. They added a lot through the transfer portal. To me, it comes down to how good is their quarterback play? I’m looking at who they have. They got Collin Schlee, They got Dante Moore, five-star true freshman for them. My assumption is that Dante Moore, whether it’s game one or whether it’s game six, is eventually their starting quarterback.”

Moore arrived this winter as an early enrollee with the Bruins as the most-hyped recruit in recent program memory.

He is the highest-rated quarterback and recruit in general UCLA has received since head coach Chip Kelly was hired, and he flipped Moore from Oregon close to signing day.

The Detroit native was the No. 3 overall recruit and No. 2 quarterback in the 2023 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

“What if Dante Moore is just him right from the jump?” PicKell said. “What if that five-star status is seen in his first year on campus in Westwood? If UCLA is able to be explosive and dynamic offensively and Dante Moore hits the ground running in Chip Kelly’s offense, there’s no telling what UCLA could be. Because we all know this: in the Pac 12, you got to have elite quarterback play to win. Utah is a great example. Yeah, they’re really tough. Yeah, they have a great defense. But Cam Rising has been the common denominator the last two Pac-12 title seasons for them. You look across the conference. Same thing with Washington with Michael Penix, Jr. and Bo Nix at Oregon, Caleb Williams at USC. You gotta have a quarterback to get it done.”

UCLA had a great last two seasons with former quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson turning the team into a top-25 program.

But Moore has the talent and the chance to take the team to a new level during his time with the school. That rise could start this fall.

“If Dante Moore is who I think he could be his first season on campus, they bring back eight starters on defense who — to be clear — they do have to perform better than did a season ago,” PicKell said. “Allowed 30 points a game but they got a lot of guys back that could gel and could do some good things. If Dante Moore’ that guy. They got Carson Steal, bring in Maction to the Rose Bowl. I’m excited about what that could be. I think Dante Moore and UCLA, as long as Chip Kelly’s the head coach there, they’re going to be a problem. But I’m telling you this. As long as you have Kelly has a quarterback, we’ve seen that UCLA can be dangerous. So UCLA to me is very much so on boom watch in 2023.”