LOS ANGELES — During UCLA’s spring showcase last Saturday, coach Chip Kelly put on the headset live on the Pac-12 Network and made it pretty clear: Don’t be surprised if Jake Bobo is atop his wide receiver depth chart come fall.

Bobo, who transferred to UCLA after four years at Duke, has coaches raving during spring practice and is well on pace to be one of Dorian Thompson-Robinson’s targets on the outside.

“Jake has been outstanding,” Kelly said. “He can make contested catches. He’s a big, strong, physical target. He’s smart, he’s intelligent. I know Dorian and all our quarterbacks are really happy that they can look out wide and see No. 9 there.”

Bobo had a career year last season at Duke with 74 receptions for 794 yards, which ranked ninth in the ACC. UCLA hopes Bobo can serve as a reliable third down option, a safety valve of sorts.

And Bobo believes that understanding what he’s good at has earned him instant credibility amongst teammates and coaches. He knows that he won’t blow by defenders. But at 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds, what Bobo lacks in speed, he makes up for in size and toughness.

“I pride myself as a big body, go-up-and-get-it kind of guy,” Bobo said. “Thankfully, I can fill that role here. I think that’s something that this team needed, and I’m thankful that I was given the opportunity to fill that role.”

Bobo was one of UCLA’s two skilled wide receiver pick-ups from the transfer portal, with Titus Mokiao-Atimalala from UCF also coming over and impressing the coaching staff right away.

Wide receivers coach Jerry Neuheisel Jr. said that Bobo and Mokiao-Atimalala are not only talented, but also “great people.”

“To be able to get Jake after his career at Duke, to be honest, I thought we got really lucky,” Neuheisel Jr. said. “We got a steal on that one.

“But how much they’ve added in the room in terms of culture, in terms of work ethic, things like that — we’re really lucky to have them. I think they add to what is going to be a really good group.”

Bobo said that while both Kelly and Duke coach David Cutcliffe are “offensive magicians,” some of the schemes at UCLA are more complicated. He also plans to figure into the run scheme as a receiver, which he didn’t do at Duke.

Thompson-Robinson has “welcomed me in and shown love since day one,” Bobo said, and he hopes to gradually grow his relationship with the fifth-year quarterback.

“You talk about some of these quarterback-receiver duos — whether that’s professionally or in college sports — there’s a relationship off the field there and that comes with time,” Bobo said. ”So that’s what we’ll do this summer and the rest of this spring and into the fall.”

It helps for Bobo to have a familiar face join him in making the cross-country move. Tight ends coach Jeff Faris also came from Duke this offseason after coaching Bobo for four years.

“He’s a really, really tough kid that loves football,” Faris said. “Whatever room you put him in, he’s going to make the room tougher. And he’s a guy that you can count on third down to make plays.”

Bobo said he also sought advice from former UCLA running back Brittain Brown, who transferred from Duke in 2020 and had two strong seasons with the Bruins. Bobo said Brown played a big role in showing him around during his official visit to UCLA.

Related Articles

“I liked that we got a little pipeline going on,” Bobo said. “I’m not sure they’re real happy with it in Durham.”

But for Bobo, a Massachusetts native, some parts of West Coast life have him befuddled. Bobo misses Bojangles and Dunkin’ coffee, and even claimed to reporters this week that he’s had In-N-Out Burger and called it “overrated.”

Many UCLA fans might disagree. But they’ll forgive him if his production on the field matches the praise he has received during spring practice.

No pads Thursday

UCLA took things easier during its second-to-last spring practice on Thursday, wearing shorts instead of pads. The team’s final practice of the spring is Saturday.

Another defensive transfer

Sophomore linebacker Christian Burkhalter, who didn’t see the field in his only season with UCLA last year, is looking to continue his collegiate career elsewhere. The Mobile, Ala. native announced Wednesday that he entered the transfer portal, becoming the 14th UCLA defensive player to hit the portal this offseason.

“Recruitment is fully open!” Burkhalter tweeted. “Let’s get to work.”

I’m excited to announce that I’ve entered the Transfer Portal!#GodisGreat

Recruitment is fully back open!
Let’s get to work pic.twitter.com/ra1Xgc3YJl

— Christian Burkhalter (@Christianburk_) April 27, 2022

Burkhalter, a three-star recruit, was ranked the No. 19 prospect in the state of Alabama by ESPN and Rivals coming out of high school.