When Curt Cignetti left James Madison for Indiana, he brought many of his players with him. And now, led by some of those athletes, the Hoosiers will be playing in the College Football Playoff national championship.
Two years after Cignetti departed, former JMU head coach Bob Chesney left for UCLA. And several Dukes have already committed to transferring to UCLA as well.
That includes HERO Sports Group of Five All-American Wayne Knight. He was seventh in the country this past season with 1,373 rushing yards while scoring nine touchdowns on the ground. He also caught 40 passes for 397 yards and one TD.
New Customer Offers at BetMGM
Bonus Bets Expire in 7 Days. One New Customer Offer Only. Add’l Terms
Sahir West, who was the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year, is also going to UCLA. The EDGE defender recorded 45 tackles, seven sacks, 14 tackles for loss, four passes defended, and one forced fumble in 2025.
Other All-Sun Belt players like offensive lineman Riley Robell, defensive lineman Aiden Gobaira, defensive back DJ Barksdale, wide receiver Landon Ellis, and offensive lineman Carter Sweazie are also leaving JMU for UCLA.
How Many JMU Players Are Going To UCLA?
Ten JMU players are going to UCLA this offseason, according to 247Sports, as of right now. Seven were all-conference this past season.
List Of JMU-To-UCLA Players
| Name | Stars | Pos. |
| Sahir West | 3 | EDGE |
| Riley Robell | 3 | OL |
| Aiden Gobaira | 3 | DL |
| Wayne Knight | 3 | RB |
| Josh Phifer | 3 | TE |
| DJ Barksdale | 3 | CB |
| Landon Ellis | 3 | WR |
| Carter Sweazie | 3 | OL |
| Drew Spinogatti | 3 | LB |
| JD Rayner | 3 | OL |
