UCLA's Unheralded Star Making Serious NFL Draft Case

UCLA Bruins tight end Moliki Matavao could see himself rising up NFL Draft boards as we near the end of the season.

Oct 28, 2023; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins tight end Moliki Matavao (88) celebrates after scoring on a 26-yard touchdown reception against the Colorado Buffaloes in the second half at Rose Bowl. UCLA defeated Colorado 28-16. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The UCLA Bruins saw their three-game winning streak snapped on Friday, as they fell to the Washington Huskies by a score of 31-19.

While it was an ugly loss by a UCLA squad that has struggled offensively for most of the season, there were a couple of notable performances on the evening.

First, quarterback Ethan Garbers actually played some solid football, going 27-for-44 with 267 yards and a couple of touchdowns.

But the player you should really be watching is tight end Moliki Matavao.

Matavao logged seven catches for 68 yards and a score in the defeat, representing his third straight impressive performance.

The senior pass-catcher did not play against the Iowa Hawkeyes last week, but he registered four grabs for 52 yards against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Oct. 19, and the week prior, he hauled in six receptions for 104 yards in a victory over the Rutgers Scarlet Nights.

Matavao is kicking it into gear in the second half of the season, and just in time for the NFL Draft.

On the 2024 campaign overall, the Henderson, Nevada native has caught 38 passes for 439 yards and a couple of touchdowns.

He is on pace to post some pretty solid numbers for a collegiate tight end, and his blend of size, athleticism and solid hands makes him a very interesting NFL prospect.

Matavao actually began his collegiate career at Oregon back in 2021 and spent two years with the Ducks before transferring to UCLA heading into 2023.

During his debut campaign with the Bruins, the 6-foot-6 star snared 14 balls for 283 yards while reaching the end zone twice, demonstrating his big-play ability by averaging a hefty 20.2 yards per catch.

UCLA does not have a whole lot of elite, NFL-esque talent on its roster. Wide receiver J. Michael Sturdivant looked like a legitimate prospect going into 2024, but a disappointing campaign has certainly thrown a wet blanket on his draft stock.

Matavao, on the other hand, is seeing his status rise over the second half of the season, and he still has time to build his stock over the Bruins' final two games.

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