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UCLA's showing in the NFL draft suggests that BYU should be commended for coming within one point of the Bruins last September and Utah deserves credit for holding UCLA to 17 points in November.

Those painful defeats for the Cougars and Utes look a lot more respectable, after eight UCLA players were drafted. The Bruins sent five juniors and three seniors to the NFL and were topped only by Ohio State's 12 selections and Clemson's nine picks. Alabama produced seven draftees.

Three of UCLA's picks came in the seventh round and only two came in the first four rounds, but having eight players taken is remarkable. The Bruins accounted for one-fourth of the Pac-12's draftees and challenged the school record of 10 picks in 1988, when the draft lasted 12 rounds.

Having so many juniors enter the NFL is "kind of a new phenomenon" for the Bruins, coach Jim Mora said last week during the Pac-12 coaches' spring media teleconference.

The draft results can be interpreted in multiple ways. Clearly, Mora has recruited well since arriving in Westwood in advance of the 2012 signing date. With his pro football background, he has succeeded in developing NFL players. The other issue is whether the 2015 Bruins underachieved in going 5-4 in conference play, or if they did well to finish 8-5 overall amid injuries — including the loss of linebacker Myles Jack, who fell into the second round of the draft.

Going forward, the loss of those five juniors (plus another player who left early and went undrafted) has to affect the forecasts for UCLA in 2016, as the Bruins visit BYU in September and host Utah in October.

UCLA was 3-0, coming off a 24-23 win over BYU, when Jack injured his knee in practice was lost for the season — as the team's third defensive starter to be sidelined. On what became the final play of his last college game, he intercepted Tanner Mangum's pass on fourth and 7 from the UCLA 42-yard line.

As a freshman in 2013, Jack's interception of Utah's Travis Wilson clinched the Bruins' 34-27 victory at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

UCLA's other draftees also had some good moments against BYU, Utah or both. Kenny Clark, a defensive tackle who went late in the first round, posted four tackles (including a tackle for loss) in the Bruins' 17-9 win at Utah in November. With offensive lineman Caleb Benenoch blocking for him, running back Paul Perkins gained 219 yards vs. BYU and 98 yards vs. Utah.

Linebacker Aaron Wallace sacked both Mangum and Wilson last season and receivers Jordan Payton, Thomas Duarte and Fuller all were productive in those games. Payton caught seven passes for 105 yards against Utah, Duarte had three catches vs. BYU and Fuller returned a punt 56 yards against the Cougars. In 2014, Fuller caught a 93-yard touchdown pass in a loss to Utah.

Those five juniors — Clark, Jack, Benenoch, Perkins and Duarte — left UCLA without winning a Pac-12 South title. Logically, it should take Mora some time to build a roster that's capable of repeating his 2012 division championship, even with sophomore quarterback Josh Rosen in place.

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