Pac-12 Football: Each team’s most important newcomer for 2020

The UCLA Bruins have depth issues at linebacker, and incoming freshman Damian Sellers is their highest-rated recruit. This is a make or break year and the Bruins and they need help on a defensive unit that surrendered over 450 yards and 34.8 points per game.

Sellers is a seamless scheme fit. He played in a multiple-front 3-4 base scheme in high school and UCLA runs a similar defense. The Saguro High School alum can step in day one and help fix a defense that had only 26 sacks last season.

One thing that Damian Sellers does well is get after the quarterback. He can blitz or come off the edge. The young man from Scottsdale, Ariz., can rush the quarterback standing or with his hands on the turf.

Sellers has an array of pass rush moves. He is strong enough to bull rush and quick enough to rip and bend. He uses his hands well and does not allow tackles to engage him. He can set the edge against the run and string out perimeter run plays.

He’s a thumper as a tackler who is stout against the run. If UCLA wants to take the next step and play for a bowl game this season, they need a versatile player like Sellers to come in day one and play well on defense.