NFL Draft Preview 2022: UCLA Football Safety Quentin Lake

One of the longest-running Bruin starters with deep NFL ties is hoping to hear his name called on Day 3.

The NFL Draft is taking place in Las Vegas this weekend, and a handful of Bruins are set to hear their names called.

While there aren't any projected first round picks coming out of UCLA football this year, there are 14 players waiting in the pool. The Bruins have had six players picked in the past three NFL Drafts combined, and they could have that many fly off the board in 2022 alone.

All Bruins is breaking down scouting reports, stats and predictions for the biggest names who could go the highest, with safety Quentin Lake next on the slate.

April 25 – TE Greg Dulcich
April 26 – OL Sean Rhyan
April 27 – WR Kyle Philips
April 28 – DL Otito Ogbonnia

Stats

2017: 9 GP, 8 tackles

2018: 12 GP, 67 tackles, 1.0 tackle for loss, 7 passes defended, 2 interceptions

2019: 4 GP, 18 tackles, 1.0 tackle for loss

2020: 5 GP, 33 tackles, 5 passes defended, 1 interception

2021: 11 GP, 54 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, 9 passes defended, 3 interceptions (All-Pac-12 Second Team)

Measurements

Height: 6-foot-1

Weight: 201 pounds

Arms: 31 1/4 inches

Hands: 9 1/8 inches

40-Yard Dash: 4.59 seconds

Bench Press: 13 reps

Vertical Jump: N/A

Broad Jump: N/A

3-Cone Drill: N/A

20-Yard Shuttle: N/A

What The Experts Are Saying

Dane Brugler, The Athletic: "Overall, Lake is an average-twitch athlete who will struggle in recovery situations, but he limits mental mistakes and displays the play anticipation to sense what is about to happen. His growth on special teams will be important to him making an NFL roster."

Lance Zierlien, NFL.com: "Safety prospect with the size, bloodlines and intelligence to make an NFL roster. Lake isn't the fastest or the most athletic player and has coverage limitations that cap his ceiling, but he has a high football IQ and impressive ball skills. He sees the field well, which helps him get to where he needs to go. He's not an enforcer near the line of scrimmage but does tackle with good strength and technique to finish the job. He was a demon on special teams as a freshman and will likely reprise that role as a backup in the league."

James Fragoza, Pro Football Network: "Overall, Lake’s average physical tools and trigger will limit his ceiling in the NFL and how he will be drafted. Regardless, his special-teams prowess, technique, ball skills, and vision of the field will secure him a roster spot and presumably a Day 3 selection."

Rankings

The Athletic: S 21

Sports Illustrated: S 22, No. 322 overall

CBS Sports: S 27, No. 247 overall

Pro Football Network: S 18, No. 187 overall

Prediction

Lake is a solid all-around player who, despite lacking freak athleticism, will be able to contribute at the next level thanks in large part to his high football IQ and coachability. While that may mean his ceiling is lower than some of the top safeties in the draft, it is a package that NFL front offices will want to hitch their wagons to in the late rounds.

By being a leader on UCLA's defense for the past few seasons, Lake has impressed coach Chip Kelly and many other coaches in the Pac-12, so teams calling around for second opinions surely got positive reviews from those who have seen him work up close.

In an increasingly pass-heavy league, no team can ever have too many defensive backs, especially ones like Lake who can help disguise certain looks by lining up at both safety spots and contributing in multiple situations. A minor hamstring injury at the NFL Scouting Combine may have set Lake back a bit on the big boards, but his showing at the East-West Shrine Bowl seemed to be enough to get him squarely on teams' radars.

The Pittsburgh Steelers already have one of the best safeties in the game in Minkah Fitzpatrick, but the position was seen as a major need for them coming into the offseason. By re-signing veteran Terrell Edmunds earlier this week, though, the Steelers kept safety from being a pressing enough need where they would have had to select one in the first or second round.

Still, Pittsburgh will need depth and youth at the position, and who better to scoop up in the later rounds than the son of Carnell Lake – a five-time All-Pro who is in the Steelers' Hall of Honor, a member of the franchise's all-time team and was their defensive backs coach for seven seasons.

It would be a poetic fit, and a sensible one for on-the-field reasons as well.

Quentin Lake: Pittsburgh Steelers, No. 225 overall (Round 7)

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