Former UCLA Bruin J. Michael Sturdivant has NFL-level athleticism

Following a collegiate career that featured stops at three different schools, former UCLA Bruin wide receiver J. Michael Sturdivant is hoping to hear his name called at the NFL Draft. There’s a chance that the former Bruin gets taken late in this weekend’s draft, but if not, the wideout could garner some UDFA interest.

Sturdivant had a unique college trajectory, with his freshman season being his most productive. After a redshirt season with Cal in 2021, Sturdivant put up 755 receiving yards on 65 receptions and scored seven touchdowns as a redshirt freshman for Cal. During the next three years, Sturdivant never matched those numbers.

After the success with Cal, Sturdivant jumped in the portal and headed to Westwood. Sturdivant was a big piece of the UCLA offense, putting up 597 yards and four touchdowns in 2023. Sturdivant’s numbers dropped once DeShaun Foster took over as head coach in 2024, with Sturdivant posting just 315 yards and two touchdowns.

Sturdivant jumped to the SEC and landed with the Florida Gators this past season, and much like the rest of the Gators team, Sturdivant struggled. As a senior, he put up 406 yards and three touchdowns in 12 games.

Even though the college numbers left some things to be desired, Sturdivant has the athletic profile of an NFL wide receiver. Sturdivant received a freakish 9.96 RAS (Relative Athletic Score) grade. Sturdivant’s RAS ranks 19th of 4,190 wide receiver prospects from 1987-2026.

The Athletic draft expert Dane Brugler has Sturdivant as his No. 221 overall prospect, ranking him as the No. 29 wide receiver in this year’s class.

“Sturdivant accelerates well for his size to stack vertically and gain a step on top of coverage. He is more smooth than sudden in his route running, and his momentum can get away from him at times,” Brugler wrote. “His drop rate improved each season (8.3% in 2024 to just 3.6% in 2025), and he gives his quarterback some wiggle room with ball placement.”