UCLA Loses Major Transfer Target to Rival

UCLA took a rare hit in the transfer portal after landing two offensive linemen this week.

Nov 23, 2024; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins tight end Moliki Matavao (88) and UCLA Bruins offensive lineman Garrett DiGiorgio (72) walks off the field USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley (far left) and bench celebrates in the closing minute at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images / Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

UCLA football has had much success filling out its offensive line via the transfer portal, but on Wednesday, the Bruins took a significant hit in their endeavor to continue doing so.

Former Syracuse center J'Onre Reed had taken an official visit to Westwood earlier this week, per 247Sports.

It seemed the Bruins were close to landing the veteran lineman, but ultimately, Reed announced on social media on Wednesday that he has committed to the Bruins' bitter rival, USC.

Reed spent the past two seasons as Syracuse's starting center. He had joined the Orange after playing for Hutchinson Community College in Kansas, where he helped lead his team to the NJCAA National title game. Prior to that, he played at Blinn College in Texas.

247Sports has Reed rated a three-star transfer and ranked the No. 22 transfer interior offensive lineman in the country.

The Bruins are still fairly set on the offensive line, already having earned commitments from five offensive linemen from the 2024-25 transfer portal this offseason.

This week alone, UCLA landed two transfer offensive lineman in former Arkansas lineman Ty'Kieast Crawford and former Jacksonville State lineman Kaiden Arnold.

The Bruins also added Courtland Ford, Julian Armella and Eugene Brooks.

UCLA has made tremendous progress in the offensive line department, which was a necessity after a season in which the Bruins had arguable the worst offensive line in the Big Ten.

So far, UCLA has added the depth that Coach DeShaun Foster had said it needed when he addressed the media on the Dec. 4 National Signing Day.

"I like what we have, but you still want to add depth, just for competition," Foster said. "I just felt that our depth this season wasn't where it needed to be. Some games, we would get tired in the second half. The LSU game, we got tired in the second half, we can't put guys in. We needed more depth. So, I think that as long as we can get, potentially, some more guys in, yes, we want to do that, but I like what we have. I like the guys that are here right now that want to be Bruins."

The Bruins also have a new offensive line coach in Andy Kwon, who coached Arkansas State's offensive line the past three seasons. He also spent three seasons at Alabama, where he experienced two trips to the College Football National Championship, including the 2020 season when it won it all, the last national title of the Nick Saban era.

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