UCLA Bruins Send Five Players to 2025 NFL Scouting Combine

Five UCLA Bruins have been invited to the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, scheduled from Feb. 27 to March 2 in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium.

UCLA Bruins Send Five to 2025 NFL Combine

Los Angeles’ tight end Moliki Matavao, defensive lineman Jay Toia, edge defender Oluwafemi Oladejo, and linebackers Kain Medrano and Carson Schwesinger will be participating in a variety of extensive drills, workouts, tests, measurements and interviews in hopes of skyrocketing their draft stock and hearing their name called somewhere between April 24-26 in this year’s NFL draft.

Road to the NFL starts here #nflcombine #DRE #DoMore pic.twitter.com/5CV8wyXhms

— UCLA Football (@UCLAFootball) February 13, 2025

UCLA was one of 24 programs to have a minimum of five players invited to the 2025 combine as the Bruins seek to add to its current 33 NFL talents.

League personnel, scouts, head coaches, general managers, and medical staff from all 32 NFL teams will attend. This dream-like gauntlet will allow players to display their talents in front of what they hope to be their future employers.

For UCLA‘s standouts, it will be an opportunity to showcase that their individual skills could have possibly been overshadowed by a disappointing 5-7 season and 12th-place finish in the Big Ten.

Moliki Matavao, Tight End

The 6-foot-6-inch tight end had his breakout year with team highs in catches (41) and yards (506) and tallied two touchdowns to complete his senior campaign. Matavao strives in finding holes in zone coverages and has a serious ability to force missed tackles. However, the UCLA product does tend to struggle to pick up blocks in the run game.

Matavao is PFF’s 17th-ranked tight end heading into the draft and is projected to go undrafted if not a seventh-round pick. A team like the New Orleans Saints, Indianapolis Colts or New York Giants could be a potential landing spot for Matavao late in the draft.

Jay Toia, Defensive Lineman

Though his numbers don’t jump through the screen, Toia was the centerpiece of the Bruins defensive line last season. The Inglewood native was primarily lined up over the B gap and wreaked havoc on opposing running backs and quarterbacks. Toia found success in hurrying and hitting quarterbacks, with massive win rates against offensive linemen. Even with playing well against the pass, Toia’s avid run stuffing made way for a potential NFL career.

UCLA’s top D-lineman landed in PFF’s top 35 interior defensive linemen and has the potential to rise to a sixth-round pick if he performs well at the combine. If not, then Toia could enter the league as an undrafted free agent. The New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Chargers would be ideal fits for the sturdy 325-pound linemen.

Oluwafemi Oladejo, EDGE

Oladejo, a listed linebacker, mainly plays on the ball and was UCLA’s sack leader last season. Despite being a capable pass rusher, the hyper-athletic edge defender was even better against stopping the run. Oladejoa lived in the backfield with 19 hurries, seven hits and 4.5 sacks. His natural abilities can make him a reliable rotation piece on any NFL defense.

Oladejo ranked 25th in PFF’s edge rankings for the 2025 NFL draft. His stock currently remains in the fourth/fifth round. Teams such as the Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions are in the market for acquiring more edge talent, making way for Oladejo to find a team.

Kain Medrano, Linebacker

Though specializing in the box, Medrano is a gadget player and can be utilized anywhere on the field. He grades well in every category and is a threat to any offensive player coming his way. Medrano totaled 72 tackles, three forced fumbles, two interceptions and 1.5 sacks in his senior year. The explosive, sideline-to-sideline backer could end up as a sleeper pick if he develops in the next stage.

Perceived to go undrafted, Medrano could be a Day 3 selection if he catches eyes at the combine. He will provide great pass rushes from the second level as well as elite coverage skills against slot receivers and tight ends. The Los Angeles Rams, Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins are teams that could scoop up a Bruins talent.

Carson Schwesinger, Linebacker

Saving the best for last, Schwesinger is undoubtedly the strongest prospect coming out of UCLA this year. The All-Big Ten linebacker had a masterful season with 136 total tackles, four sacks, three passes defended, two interceptions and one forced fumble. Schwesinger — in some regards — can be considered the best backer in the draft and his 2024 tape can prove why.

According to PFF’s 2025 big board, Schwesinger is the 48th-ranked player in the draft (third-best linebacker). Moreover, the UCLA star found success in all layers of defense, grading in the top percentile in pass rush, run defense and coverage among his fellow linebackers. Potential land spots in the draft for Schwesinger can be the Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers or Washington Commanders between the late first round and early third round.

Overview of the UCLA Bruins 2025 NFL Combine Invitees

Headline by their star defender Schwesinger, UCLA has five players who were invited on Thursday to make a trip to Indianapolis later this month. Regardless of a subpar season, the Blue and Gold had gems in the rough that now have the opportunity to make noise at the NFL combine. Los Angeles fans can watch their favorite Bruins compete live on NFL Network starting Thurs., Feb. 29 at noon PST.