By merely strolling onto UCLA’s apply area Monday morning, Trent Hendrick made historical past.

The linebacker grew to become the college’s first participant to have practiced with an NFL crew before becoming a member of the Bruins’ roster.

“He’s a nice addition of a kid that we trust and believe in as part of our family,” Bruins coach Bob Chesney said after his onetime star at James Madison began the acclimatization course of with his new crew as it opened its remaining week of fall coaching camp.

Unlike tight finish Dae’Quan Wright, who is expected to play for LSU this season if he clears waivers after being launched by the Cleveland Browns, Hendrick did not want to overcome comparable obstacles because he did not signal with an NFL crew after going undrafted out of James Madison.

After working out with the Bruins in the winter, Hendrick participated in spring rookie minicamp with the Browns and Kansas City Chiefs. He was in a position to rejoin the Bruins after being half of a group of 16 gamers who not too long ago won a courtroom order from a Louisiana choose granting them a fifth 12 months of faculty eligibility.

Former NFL rookie Trent Hendrick participates in apply as half of a historic return to UCLA. (Isabella Serafini/UCLA Athletics) Isabella Serafini/UCLA Athletics

Chesney said he expected the reigning Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year to play in the season opener against California next week. Additionally, Hendrick’s arrival did not value anyone else a roster spot or scholarship because the Bruins were within limits.

Chesney said he was only keen to add Hendrick at this late stage because he would be a main plus.

“He’s a natural-born leader, he is a guy that understands the culture,” Chesney said. “It’s cool because he watched us come into JMU after that [Curt Cignetti] staff had left and he was one of the ties that bound the entire thing together and now he has a chance to come here and help with that process again.”

One of Hendrick’s first duties was discovering a new quantity.

The No. 5 he wore at James Madison wasn’t out there because it was retired in honor of security Kenny Easley. So Hendrick slipped a blue No. 51 jersey over his head early in apply Monday and greeted an limitless procession of teammates and coaches with hugs and hand slaps.

An prolonged go to with Bob Chesney Sr., the coach’s dad who is a volunteer working with the line of defense, ended with the elder Chesney saying, “Oh, baby!”

Hendrick did not take part in the transient crew interval reporters were allowed to observe, with Chesney saying he would have to full a development before working towards in full pads.

Arriving in the remaining week of coaching camp meant beginning at the backside – Hendrick took the remaining repetition in a point-of-attack drill, behind fellow linebackers Sammy Omosigho, Jalen Woods, Drew Spinogatti and Donavyn Pellot.

How might the addition of someone who made 106 tackles – including seven for loss and three sacks – last season alongside with two compelled fumbles and three go breakups influence these new teammates at his place?

“This is not a guy we don’t know, this is not a guy we don’t trust,” Chesney said, “so we had that dialog with the crew and they all left at the finish of it, the linebackers in explicit, of [saying] thank you, I think that they said there’s many coaches in many applications that wouldn’t even have that dialog and a child would just present up.

“So I think it’s important that we had those conversations about who he was as a player, that he’s guaranteed nothing and just like everybody on this team, whatever they get, they have to work for.”

Landing Hendrick took some appreciable effort on the Bruins’ half after they reportedly beat out Cal and Virginia Tech, though this is one case in which they were thrilled to profit from the continued professionalization of faculty sports activities.

“We’re slowly moving to more of a triple-A team for the NFL in a way,” Chesney said. “There’s probably more stability in the NFL – contractually, tampering the way their season works, there’s a million things [with] unionizing and collective bargaining, all the stuff that comes with it – but that’s going to happen at the next level where there’s going to be a couple of guys in that locker room that are going to disappear and a bunch of new guys are going to show up.”

After arriving at UCLA on Monday, linebacker Trent Hendrick rapidly flashed the college’s fours-up image. (Isabella Serafini/UCLA Athletics) Isabella Serafini/UCLA Athletics