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Greg Dulcich, Otito Ogbonnia Represent UCLA at Senior Bowl Leading Up to NFL Draft

The Bruins' departing tight end and defensive lineman impressed scouts and the media in Mobile, Alabama, throughout the week.

Sam Connon

Greg Dulcich, Otito Ogbonnia Represent UCLA at Senior Bowl Leading Up to NFL Draft
Greg Dulcich, Otito Ogbonnia Represent UCLA at Senior Bowl Leading Up to NFL Draft /

The Bruins were well-represented in the biggest draft showcase of the season, and the two in attendance impressed in the process.

UCLA football tight end Greg Dulcich and defensive lineman Otito Ogbonnia suited up for the Reese's Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, with practices starting Tuesday and the annual all-star game taking place Saturday. Dulcich and Ogbonnia both contributed highlights – from practices and the game alike – that picked up steam online with less than three months to go until the 2022 NFL Draft.

Those who have watched the Bruins in the past two seasons have watched Dulcich become one of the best route-running tight ends in the country, but many scouts and media members caught on in Mobile this week.

Throughout the week of practice, Dulcich made catches after lining up in line or in the slot. From post routes to seams, Dulcich left linebackers and defensive backs in the dust, putting his speed and agility on display in the process.

Much of the criticism lofted Dulcich over the past two years has been towards his blocking abilities, rather than what he has proven he can do as a pass-catcher.

Dulcich didn't completely buck that narrative, but he drew praise for standing strong against edge rushers, both in 1-on-1 run block reps and at times in pass protection.

It wasn't all good for Dulcich, though, as there were still blocking reps where he got beat and beat badly.

Ogbonnia had less film make the rounds on social media compared to Dulcich, but he still managed to draw plenty of praise and stood out in his own right.

Boston College guard Zion Johnson, a potential first rounder, is the only offensive lineman who seemed to have got the better of Ogbonnia all week long. But when Johnson lined up against Ogbonnia as a center, it was the Bruin who bested the Eagle.

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UT-Chattanooga interior offensive lineman Cole Strange got beat by Ogbonnia on several key reps, and he and Michigan's Andrew Stueber needed to double team Ogbonnia to keep him from breaking into the backfield in simulated plays later on.

Perhaps Ogbonnia's biggest single moment of the week came on Tuesday, when the 6-foot-4, 320-pound Bruin steamrolled Fordham's Nick Zakelj.

When it came time for the actual Senior Bowl itself, Ogbonnia and Dulcich each left their mark on the game. Ogbonnia played early and often, splitting right up the middle and pivoting around the corner for a chasedown tackle on Alabama running back Brian Robinson Jr. at the line of scrimmage in the first quarter.

Dulcich made his lone play of the day with only a few minutes left in the contest. The American Team was down 20-10 with 3:00 remaining, looking to drive the length of the field and make it a game late.

On 2nd-and-5, Western Kentucky quarterback Bailey Zappe stepped up in the pocket and delivered one to Dulcich on a button hook in traffic, and the Bruin reeled it in for a 10-yard gain and a first down.

The drive would end in an interception with 19 seconds left on the clock, giving Ogbonnia's National Team a 20-10 victory.

Ogbonnia and Dulcich entered the week as prospects who would pop up in the occasional seven-round mock draft, with Ogbonnia ranking No. 40 among interior defensive linemen according to Sports Illustrated's NFL Draft Bible and Dulcich ranking No. 9 among tight ends according to CBS Sports. The general impression is that both improved upon their draft stock in Mobile. 

Ogbonnia, Dulcich, left tackle Sean Rhyan, safety Quentin Lake, receiver Kyle Philips, right tackle Alec Anderson, defensive back Qwuantrezz Knight, cornerback Obi Eboh and running back Brittain Brown are among the UCLA products looking to move on to the pros this offseason, and they will all get at least one more chance to put their skills on display during the Bruins' pro day in March. The NFL Scouting Combine will start March 1, and those nine players are hoping for an invite to that showcase as well.

The NFL Draft will start with the first round on April 28 at 5 p.m., followed by the second and third rounds on April 29 and rounds four through seven on April 30.

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Sam Connon
SAM CONNON

Sam Connon was the Publisher and Managing Editor at Sports Illustrated and FanNation’s All Bruins from 2021 to 2023. He is now a staff writer at Sports Illustrated and FanNation’s Fastball. He previously covered UCLA football, men's basketball, women's basketball, baseball, men's soccer, cross country and golf for The Daily Bruin from 2017 to 2021, serving as the paper's Sports Editor from 2019 to 2020. Connon has also been a contributor for 247Sports' Bruin Report Online, Rivals' BruinBlitz, Dash Sports TV, SuperWestSports, Prime Time Sports Talk, The Sports Life Blog and Patriots Country, Sports Illustrated and FanNation’s New England Patriots site. His work as a sports columnist has been awarded by the College Media Association and Society of Professional Journalists. Connon graduated from UCLA in June 2021 and is originally from Winchester, Massachusetts.

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