Underrated UCLA Prospects Who Could Sneak Into NFL Draft
The NFL Draft is rapidly approaching, and several former UCLA players are hoping to hear their names called and get a shot at playing professional football at the highest level. So far, offensive tackle Garrett DiGiorgio and defensive tackle Gary Smith III have received the most publicity, but there are others working for that chance with lesser recognition.
The Bruins had 18 total players participate in their Pro Day last month. Here are a few of the underrated players from that day who may get a chance in the NFL.
2026 PRO DAY was ELITE #4suppic.twitter.com/vNOsKFsmyd
- UCLA Football (@UCLAFootball) March 11, 2026
Key Lawrence - Defensive Back
As with many of the overlooked UCLA players, one of the big issues for Lawrence will be his age. He's already 25, which is often considered too old for a rookie. He's spent six years in college as well, which may raise concerns about his developmental capabilities.
However, Lawrence was a productive college football player. He's played more than 60 games with over 200 tackles, four interceptions, and 15 passes defended. His best years came during his time at Oklahoma, where he was an All-Big 12 honorable mention player in 2021.
His best attribute is his tackling. He only spent one season at UCLA and led the secondary with 70 tackles, making the third-most on the team in 2025. Couple that with his 6-foot-1, 200-pound frame, and there might be something worth taking a chance on. Yet, he enters the draft process as a potential undrafted free agent.
JonJon Vaughns - Linebacker
The biggest questions for Vaughn are whether his game will and which version of him teams will get. He's also an older player, having had his 2024 season derailed by an injury in the season-opener, but he responded with an incredible 2025.
During his first five seasons at UCLA, Vaughns made a total of 113 tackles. Yet in 2025, he became a monster and threatened that cumulative total in one season, amassing a whopping 107 tackles while earning All-Big Ten honorable mention. It was also good enough for the fourth-most tackles per game in the conference and 24th-most (per game) nationally.
Someone has to stop these high-powered offenses, and tackling is obviously a significant part of that. There's a place for sure-tacklers in the league, and that might get Vaughns drafted.
Jalen Berger - Running Back
This is a polarizing player because Berger never hit his full potential as a collegiate player. As the No. 87 overall player in the 2020 recruiting class out of Don Bosco Prep (NJ), he was expected to be an elite college player. Yet, after an impressive freshman year with Wisconsin in which he ran for over 400 yards on just 60 carries, he regressed.
His sophomore campaign saw him total just 88 yards before transferring to Michigan State. Berger's first season with the Spartans was the best of his college career, but by 2024, he was off to UCLA, where he began as a backup and finished 2025 as the Bruins' top rusher.
Again, this is an older prospect, so it's easy to see teams shying away, but enough production is there for an NFL franchise to think he can play a role.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/ucla as Underrated UCLA Prospects Who Could Sneak Into NFL Draft.
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This story was originally published April 14, 2026 at 10:00 AM.