UCLA Football: How Soon Will 2025 Linebacker Commit Weston Port Make an Impact on Defense?

Using current Bruins linebackers as a blueprint, we analyze how quickly the four-star defender Weston Port will see playing time for UCLA

San Juan Hills (San Juan Capistrano, CA) 2025 linebacker Weston Port had been on UCLA's radar long before they offered him back in March 2023. He committed to UCLA in early February just before the Bruins hired their new head coach DeShaun Foster. Port is considered a four-star recruit by Rivals, the 184th-best player in his class, and the 17th-best player in California. 

Should UCLA consider themselves lucky they earned Port's commitment? In some ways, yes. He's very talented and has a good chance at developing into a reliable high-power-five starter. But in other ways, Port's talent should, in theory, be representative of the caliber of players UCLA should be consistently earning commitments from. Port should be the standard, not the outlier, in terms of the caliber of talent that UCLA should be courting. 

Nonetheless, the 6-foot-2, ~215-pound Port has been a tackling machine for San Juan Hills high school throughout his first three years on varsity. His highlight tape, full of interceptions, sacks, tackles for loss, and block destruction is embedded at the bottom of this article. Versatility in the positions that Port can be effective in is a huge green flag for recruiters and coaches alike. It shows that Port isn't just a one-trick pony, but an actual football player who understands the fundamentals of running and tackling, the two more crucial traits for modern-day linebackers. 

As far as position fit, we see Port ending up as a stand-up inside or outside linebacker. He is by no means small, but with how well he runs, consistently using him as a line of scrimmage edge defender might not be the position where he can help his team the most. 

So, how soon might Port see the field for the Bruins? Well, let's set the scene. UCLA is losing their linebackers coach Ken Norton Jr. to the Washington Commanders. Darius Muasau, the Bruins reliable mike linebacker is headed to the NFL next season, but the Bruins are returning proven starter Kain Medrano as well. Both Oluwafemi Oladejo and Ale Kaho are also returning linebackers who both contributed meaningful reps in 2023. Medrano and Oladejo will likley both declare for the NFL draft after next season. 

Port will likely sit on the bench for his first season in Westwood given how experienced the Bruins will be at linebacker in 2025. He may see some special teams reps, but we shouldn't expect Port to really arrive until the 2026 season. The forthcoming linebackers coach hire at UCLA is going to be crucial in the development of Port.