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UCLA Football: How Former Bruins Performed in NFL Week 1

Sam Garcia

Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
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UCLA has 37 alumni listed on NFL rosters this season, which ranks in the top 20 of all college football programs. With Week 1 complete, several former Bruins shined with their respective teams. 

Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet, who was drafted in 2023, recorded the first receiving touchdown of his professional career to help the Seahawks defeat the Denver Broncos 26-20. 

On the other side of the field, Broncos tight end Greg Dulcich caught two passes for 12 yards in his first start of the season. 

Houston Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn made history in the season opener of his eighth NFL season. The 2015 Lou Groza Award winner became the second kicker in NFL history to score three 50+ yard field goals in a season opener. Fairbairn’s field goals contributed to the Texans' tight 29-27 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. 

Another history-making former Bruin was Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Kenny Clark, who became the first Bruin alumni to play a football game in the Southern Hemisphere. The Packers and Clark opened their season in São Paulo, Brazil, where Clark logged one tackle and one assisted tackle. 

Week 1 was filled with lots of firsts for UCLA alumni, including Kansas City Chiefs running back Carson Steele and New York Giants linebacker Darius Muasau. While Steele made his professional debut, Muasau made his first professional start. 

The Dallas Cowboys’ roster consists of two former Bruins in defensive lineman Osa Odighizuwa and linebacker Eric Kendricks. Odighizuwa recorded three combined tackles in his first start of the season. Meanwhile, Kendricks had an impressive defensive performance. UCLA’s all-time leading tackler caught the 10th interception of his NFL career, logged nine combined tackles, and tied the team-high two sacks. 

Two UCLA alumni have remained close to their alma mater. Los Angeles Rams safety Quentin Lake, who was drafted in 2022, led the team with 10 tackles. Los Angeles Chargers defensive lineman Otito Ogbonnia had two combined tackles against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Ogbonnia faced a fellow Bruin alumni, Raiders left tackle Kolton Miller, in the season opener. Miller, a 2017 All-Pac-12 second-team selection, made one tackle on a fumble recovery.

Finally, Arizona Cardinals inside linebacker Krys Barnes, a fifth-season NFL veteran, recorded one tackle while assisting on another.

Laiatu Latu, a Colts defensive end, was the most anticipated Bruin rookie this season. However, he, along with Buffalo Bills Alec Anderson, Seahawks Jake Bobo, San Francisco 49ers Jake Brendel, Raiders Andre James, Chicago Bears Marcedes Lewis, New York Jets Takk McKinley, Packers Sean Rhyan, and Washington Commanders Colson Yankoff, made appearances but did not record any statistics.

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Sam Garcia

SAM GARCIA

Samantha Garcia is a student at the University of California, Los Angeles. She is majoring in Psychology and minoring in Professional Writing. She is also a sports writer for the Daily Bruin at UCLA.

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