Cal Football: Bears Add to Defensive Line as UCLA Transfer Odua Isibor Commits
Updated on May 18, 2022
Cal added depth to another area of need through the transfer portal on Sunday when UCLA defensive tackle Odua Isibor announced on social media he will join the Golden Bears.
Isibor is a 6-foot-3, 265-pound senior from Phoenix who was a part-time starter for the Bruins in 2021. He had 14 tackles, including 4½ for losses, and forced one fumble. Isibor was considered a contender to be a starter for the Bruins next fall.
Odua Isibor
He became the third transfer to commit to Cal in the past week, joining offensive linemen J.T. Session, formerly of Montana State, and Spencer Lovell of Arizona State.
"Odua has been a productive player in our conference, and we have confidence that he will continue or increase his level of productivity when he joins us for the 2022 season," coach Justin Wilcox said in a statement upon Cal officially announcing the signing. "We are excited to add a quality player with Odua's credentials and experience to our program via the transfer portal."
The Bears will welcome the depth and experience Isibor adds to a position group a bit short in both categories. Brett Johnson will be a dynamo if fully healthy after missing all of 2021 following hip surgery, but Cal is otherwise fairly inexperienced on its defensive front.
He picked Cal over Auburn.
Isibor reportedly visited Cal a week ago and apparently was impressed, as his Tweet suggests.
Odua Isibor
Over five seasons at Westwood, Isibor played in 42 games, with 10 starts. He has 57 career tackles, 9 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks.
Isibor was one of the last remaining recruits from the Jim Mora coaching era at UCLA, and was the 13th Bruin defensive player to enter the transfer portal since the end of last season.
Isibor earned an undergraduate degree in psychology at UCLA and was enrolled in the Transformative Coaching and Leadership graduate program in the School of Education.
On top of that, his UCLA bio tells us he's an expert at solving Rubik's Cube.
Rated a 3-star prospect out of Saint Mary's Catholic High School in Phoenix, Isibor was originally envisioned as a defensive end. He had nearly 200 tackles and 18 sacks his final two high school seasons.
Cover photo of Odua Isibor causing a Colorado fumble by Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA Today
Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo
