UCLA lands former top-100 WR Aidan Mizell in transfer portal
UCLA gained a commitment Wednesday from Florida transfer wide receiver Aidan Mizell, who will try to unlock his potential on a Bruins team in need of playmakers.
Mizell formally gave new head coach Bob Chesney and wide receivers coach Colin Lockett his pledge on an official visit this past weekend. The official reveal was only a matter of time after Rivals recruiting analyst Greg Biggins included the Orlando native in a handful of predictions Monday.
Mizell, who is listed at 6-1 1/2 and 185 pounds, was a one-time consensus four-star prospect and top-100 recruit in the 2023 class out of high school. Now, the three-star transfer is currently rated the 34th-best receiver and No. 177 among all players in the evolving On3 Industry rankings.
Mizell has a strong high school track and field background. His career-best time in the 400 meters is 46.99 seconds and his 100 time is 10.65 seconds. Both of Mizell’s parents were also track and field athletes at Florida.
He is the third transfer receiver to commit to the Bruins, who picked up ex-San Jose State wideout Leland Smith and former James Madison receiver Landon Ellis earlier in the day.
Production at Florida
Mizell never quite broke through as a top target in his three years in Gainesville.
He started seven of 22 games and made 38 catches for 404 yards and three touchdowns in his career with the Gators. In 2025, Mizell missed four games due to injury and was the team’s seventh-leading receiver, competing for targets and snaps with the likes of ex-UCLA receiver J.Michael Sturdivant.
Mizell redshirted as a freshman in 2023 and has two years of eligibility remaining.
Opportunity aplenty for Mizell at UCLA
UCLA had high hopes for its offense when star quarterback Nico Iamaleava transferred from Tennessee and Tino Sunseri was tabbed to call the plays. Sunseri lasted just four games, only one more than head coach DeShaun Foster after his firing, and Iamaleava was hampered by a lack of pass protection.
The Bruins added three transfer offensive linemen this past weekend, but wide receivers Kwazi Gilmer and Rico Flores Jr. are in the portal. Gilmer, who appears to be slipping away after initially not ruling out a return, led the team with 50 catches for 535 yards and four touchdowns as a sophomore. Flores finished third on the team in receptions after missing the first four games while recovering from an injury.
Slot receiver Mikey Matthews is currently the lone returner among receivers who were regulars. His 33 catches for 348 yards and two touchdowns trailed only Gilmer on the team. This past season, the Bruins’ next-best passing targets for Iamaleava were running backs.
UCLA’s best remaining receiver is Carter Shaw, while the most intriguing freshmen who redshirted are Jace Brown and Shane Rosenthal. Brown is a 6-foot-3, 200-pound athlete with great size and Rosenthal was the California state high school record-holder for career receptions.
Short on production and experience, the Bruins look like an ideal fit for Mizell.