Gophers add to scary-looking pass rush by signing stud Cal transfer

TJ Bush Jr. joins Anthony Smith, Karter Menz and others in what looks like a heck of a defensive line.

Sep 6, 2025; Berkeley, California, USA; California Golden Bears linebacker TJ Bush Jr. (3) during the third quarter against the Texas Southern Tigers at California Memorial Stadium. | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The Gophers might have a heck of a defensive line in 2026. That was already going to be a strength of their roster before Wednesday's news that they've signed Cal transfer TJ Bush Jr., according to 247 Sports. Bush had 5.5 sacks last year and will play his final year of eligibility in Minnesota.

Minnesota has signed Cal edge rusher transfer TJ Bush, @chris_hummer and I have learned.

Posted 5.5 sacks at Cal this season. pic.twitter.com/ekdbZDhUCD

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 7, 2026

Anthony Smith is coming back for one more season after leading the Gophers with 43 pressures and 12.5 sacks this past season. He projects as a top-50 draft pick in 2027. Karter Menz was second with 25 pressures and 6.5 sacks, and he'll be back for his redshirt junior season. Jaxon Howard, a former star recruit who had 4 sacks, will be back as well. Now that pass rush trio becomes a quartet with the addition of a proven producer like Bush.

In 2025, Bush led Cal in sacks (5.5), pressures (39), and hurries (26). He was second on the roster with 10.5 total tackles for loss. The Gophers got a firsthand look at him when he recorded a sack in their meeting in Berkeley last September.

Bush had transferred in after beginning his career with two seasons at Liberty, where he also put up solid numbers. He had 7.5 sacks, 16 total TFL, 9 passes defended, and 55 pressures over his two years with Flames. In three college seasons, Bush has played nearly 2,000 defensive snaps and totaled 13 sacks, 27 TFL, and 94 pressures.

BREAKING: Cal transfer DE/OLB TJ Bush Jr. has committed to the Gophers.

Listed at 6-foot-3, 265 pounds, he had 40 total tackles and 5.5 sacks in 2025. Began his career at Liberty. Significant pickup! https://t.co/vJMtSgo27h pic.twitter.com/kaumzXdd1h

— Tony Liebert (@TonyLiebert) January 7, 2026

Listed at 6'3" and 265 pounds, Bush is a Virginia native and former three-star high school recruit who chose Liberty over power conference offers from Vanderbilt, Maryland, and Boston College. He was ranked as a top-30 available edge defender by 247 Sports in this year's transfer portal rankings.

With Smith, Bush, Menz, and Howard all ready to roll along the Gophers' defensive line, this has the makings of a fearsome pass rush for coordinator Danny Collins and new rush ends coach C.J. Robbins in 2026. The more pressure they can apply on the quarterback, the more they'll help out a secondary that will be breaking in some new pieces after losing Koi Perich and Za'Quan Bryan in the portal.

Current transfer portal commtiments

• Michael Merdinger, Liberty QB
• Jaron Thomas, Purdue RB
• Bennett Warren, Tennessee OT
• Andrew Marshall, Eastern Michigan OLB
• Naquan Crowder, Marshall DT
• Perry Thompson, Auburn WR
• Parker Knutson, Southwest Minnesota State (D-II) S
• Aydan West, Michigan State CB
• Elisha West, Michigan State S
• Beckham Sunderland, Michigan K
• Mekhai Smith, Lehigh S
• TJ Bush Jr., Cal DL

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