UCLA Lands DL From Oklahoma

UCLA has landed a commitment from a transfer who will be returning to his hometown of Pasadena.

Oklahoma's Ashton Sanders gets to General Booty during a drill during the University of Oklahoma (OU) spring football practice at the Everest Training Center in Norman, Okla., Wednesday, March 27, 2024. / SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

Defensive line is one of the areas UCLA needs to address this offseason, and it's done a solid job of doing so so far.

On Sunday, the Bruins landed a defensive lineman from the SEC, as former Oklahoma offensive lineman Ashton Sanders announced on social media that he has committed to UCLA.

IM COMING HOME BRUIN NATION‼️4️⃣⬆️#bruins #uclafb #pasadena #denababy pic.twitter.com/fNijBCwEIW

— Ashton “Champ” Sanders (@c55mp) December 22, 2024

Sanders has three years of eligibility remaining.

He spent his first two collegiate seasons with the Sooners, making 13 appearances -- three in his first season and 10 this past season. Sanders recorded a tackle for loss in each of those seasons and posted half a sack this past season.

The 6-1, 281-pound lineman was a three-star recruit. He was ranked the No. 52 class of 2022 prospect and the No. 65 defensive lineman in his class, per the 247Sports Composite rankings. Aside from Oklahoma, he had received offers from Wisconsin, Cal, Notre Dame, Washington, Colorado, Fresno State, Kansas, Maryland, Arizona State and others.

Sanders' commitment brings him back home, as the two-year Sooner is a native of Pasadena and played at Cathedral High School in Los Angeles.

While Sanders didn't have the opportunity to have much of an impact at Oklahoma, he should be able to see some significant snaps with the Bruins.

Sanders is UCLA's 12th transfer commit so far during this winter edition of the transfer portal and the first pure defensive lineman -- the Bruins have two edge rusher commits.

UCLA needed to make up for some significant losses this offseason, and so far, it has been able to do what Coach DeShaun Foster knew it would.

"We'll be able to reload," Foster said on the Dec. 4 National Signing Day. "Because just like where people are leaving, we're going to be able to pull guys in. So, we're going to be able to reload. That's the nature of the business. You guys have seen plenty of teams go from three wins or whatever they did to conference championships. Prime's [Colorado coach Deion Sanders] done the same thing; he lost a lot of guys in the portal, and he was able to reload."

The winter window of the transfer portal will close next Sunday, Dec. 28.

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