Cal’s defense is getting a full-scale front-line makeover, and the Bears are betting the new group can turn pressure into havoc.
That was the problem in 2025: Cal finished in the bottom third of the ACC in sacks. So with Tosh Lupoi taking over, the Bears attacked the defensive line in the transfer portal, adding seven newcomers to go with 10 returning players. The reset became even more necessary after Cal lost 2025 sack leader TJ Bush Jr., along with TJ Bollers and Aidan Keanaaina to the NFL.
On the edge, Solomon Williams arrives as Lupoi’s first transfer portal addition on that side of the ball. The redshirt sophomore from Texas A&M was used in a two-point stance and worked in a limited rotational role for a deep Aggies front.
At 6-foot-2 and 245 pounds, he brings the kind of frame and pass-rush potential Cal wants off the edge. He also comes in with a pro mindset, having studied former Texas A&M teammates who made it to the NFL.
Williams sees Lupoi’s coaching style as a chance to push his game forward as a primary pass-rusher.
Jayden Wayne is back for another run after transferring from Washington in 2025. The senior played in all 13 games last season for Cal and finished with 25 total tackles and two sacks.
He’ll line up in the jack position, where his versatility should let him rush the passer and drop into coverage. Wayne can work on either side of the edge, giving the Bears a flexible piece they already know.
Justin Beadles adds size and physicality after spending last season in a backup role at Louisville, where he appeared in every game. At 6-foot-5 and 275 pounds, he has the build to hold the edge against the run, and he can also use his length to turn speed into power. Cal can move him inside on passing downs, too, sliding him to 3-tech or 2i technique when the Bears want more disruption from the interior.
Then there’s Emmanuel Okoye, the wild card of the edge group. The redshirt sophomore came through the NFL Academy in London after growing up in Lagos, Nigeria.
He was originally recruited as a tight end before shifting to defensive line in spring 2024. At 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds, with a 45.5-inch vertical jump, 135.5-inch broad jump and a 7-foot-2 wingspan, he brings rare athletic traits to the table.
That profile earned him No. 9 on The Athletic’s “College football Freak List” for 2026, and even with limited game reps, he gives Cal a high-ceiling project off the edge.
The interior got a major injection of size with Jericho Johnson, who transferred in from Oregon. The redshirt sophomore played in nine games last season and posted five tackles and a pass breakup.
At 6-foot-4 and 345 pounds, he can line up anywhere from nose tackle to 3-tech and should be a major force in the middle, where he can collapse the pocket, absorb double-teams and shut down interior lanes. He looks like the replacement for Keanaaina.
Ashun Shepphard brings another sturdy body inside after a mixed 2024 and 2025 at Mississippi State. He played in two games last season and redshirted, but in 2024 he appeared in every game and logged 25 total tackles and half a sack. At 6-foot-3 and 290 pounds, he fits as a 3-tech or 4i-tech and can clog the B-gap, force runs outward and keep offensive linemen from climbing to linebackers.
Nate Burrell is back after an injury wiped out his 2025 season before he entered the portal and eventually withdrew. In 2024, he played in every game and finished with 29 total tackles, 2.5 sacks and a pass deflection. At 6-foot-2 and 285 pounds, his quickness and lower leverage make him a natural fit to shoot gaps, work interior stunts and create pressure from the middle.
Put together, the new-look line gives Cal a chance to change games up front. With portal additions, returning pieces and Lupoi’s defensive approach all aligned, the Bears are aiming to become a much tougher defense by the end of the season.
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Cal Has A Real Chance To Build Momentum In 2026
Cal got a small but notable sign of respect in the Associated Press preseason poll, earning two voting points as the program heads into a 2026 schedule that looks manageable on paper. The Bears are coming off a 7-6 season and a 4-4 finish in ACC play, and the upcoming slate gives them a real chance to turn that baseline into something sturdier if they can handle the opportunities in front of them.
There are no opponents ranked in the top 15 on the schedule, and SMU is the only top-25 team Cal is set to face. The Bears still have a pivotal ACC test against Clemson, plus nonconference matchups with UCLA and UNLV, so the path is hardly simple, but it does open the door for Cal to build some momentum if it can string together the kind of wins that change a season's tone. [Read more 🡒]