Nov 8, 2024; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Dermaricus Davis (9) warms up prior to the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

UCLA QB Room Undergoing More Change

Originally posted on UCLA Bruins on SI
By Aidan Champion | Last updated Apr 26, 2025 6:00 AM ET

It seemed inevitable that UCLA's adding of the Iamaleava brothers was going to spark departures from the quarterback room, and that has proven to be true.

Days after transfer quarterback Joey Aguilar entered the transfer portal and committed to Tennessee, two more Bruin quarterbacks are on their way out.

On Friday, On3's Pete Nakos and Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports/247Sports reported that former UCLA incoming freshman Robert McDaniel had entered the portal, Zenitz reported that former UCLA quarterback Dermaricus Davis is anticipated to enter the portal.

McDaniel was one of UCLA's top incoming freshmen and was a massive get for the Bruins when he flipped his commitment from Arizona to UCLA.

A three-star prospect from Hughson, California, McDaniel was viewed as a recruit whose potential was higher than his rankings suggest.

247Sports national recruiting analyst Greg Biggins went as far as to say McDaniel "has an NFL ceiling" when he evaluated the prospect back in December.

"McDaniel is a fast rising quarterback who made a nice leap over the last year," Biggins wrote. "He was a late addition to the Elite 11 Finals over the summer and really shined.

"We liked him at his Pro-Day workout where he played with a quicker pace than most of the quarterbacks and showed off a strong, down field arm as well."

Davis was a four-star recruit from the class of 2024. He would enroll at Washington before transferring to UCLA last spring. He did not see a down last season and has yet to play in a collegiate contest.

Davis, who hails from Altadina, California, was ranked the No. 17 quarterback in his recruiting class and the No. 26 class of 2024 prospect from California, per the 247Sports Composite rankings.

It's clear that there was a sense of uneasiness within UCLA's quarterback room after it landed both Nico and Madden Iamaleava. Nico is obviously going to be the Bruins' starter next season and Madden will likely be his successor when his time is done, assuming the younger brother stays with the program.

The Bruins' quarterback room is in a completely different position than it was in at the start of spring camp.