Cal Football 2025 Preview: Defensive Line

A resilient group of veterans man the fort in the defensive trenches

A lot of Justin Wilcox defenses have been built from the back to front over the course of his coaching tenure. Coming into the 2025 season, the defensive line position is one of the groups that has the most returning production on a team that quite frankly doesn’t return a whole lot.

Some of you heard from Aidan Keanaaina at ACC Football Media Day, where he pointed to the combination of Co-defensive coordinator’s Vic So’oto and Terence Brown as an area of growth for the defensive group. Keanaaina cited ideas being pulled together on both fronts of the defense as a catalyst for why that side of the ball will succeed and why the defensive line unit will be put in the best position to make plays.

Returning Production

Aidan Keanaaina, Nate Burrell*, TJ Bollers, Stanley Saole-McKenzie, Derek Wilkins

Four of these five guys make up the bulk of the returning production for this year’s Cal team. Keanaaina did well as a block eating defensive tackle last season is his first year of prolonged play, allowing Teddye Buchanan and Cade Uluave to steamroll downhill from their linebacker positions. TJ Bollers and Stanley Saole-McKenzie did a favorable job as support defensive linemen, keeping the consistency together most of the time. Derek Wilkins will look to the take the next step in becoming a regular contributor for the defensive line, one that has small but noticeable steps that it needs to take to become an elite unit.

One of the main areas of growth that these returners will need to grow into are the stops on critical downs. Coaches, fans, and players alike are all aware of the gremlins that Cal faced on 3rd and 4th down last season, especially in short distance and in the clutch. The defensive line simply needs more resistance in these scenarios and either make the play themselves or hold the line enough so the linebackers can finish the job.

*Nate Burrell is out for the season per HC Justin Wilcox

Returners looking to break through

BJ Canady, Legend Journey, RJ Stephens, Michael-Anthony Okwura

These players are looking to breakthrough into the rotation after minimal to no playing time last season. I’ve seen flashes in practice from Canady and Okwura in terms of their athleticism but am not sure where they find the snaps if this unit stays relatively healthy.

A lot of the experience departs after 2025 so I’ll be intrigued to see who makes a name for themselves in the interim but for now these are the guys definitely on the outside looking in.

Newcomers looking to slot in

Freshmen: Ike Okafor, LeBron Williams
Transfers: Tyson Ford, Zae Smith

Both Tyson Ford and Zae Smith will be expected to contribute for the Bears this upcoming season. For, like Keanaaina, Ford also comes by way of Notre Dame but missed the 2024 season for the Fighting Irish. He will have three years of eligibility remaining after graduating in South Bend and totaling two games of work.

On the other hand, Zae Smith comes from Houston Christian out of the FCS. Smith played in 36 games over the course of his four seasons, putting together 15 TFL’s and 10 sacks. Smith is looking to make the jump up to power four football and is listed at 6’1, 310 pounds as he tries to help anchor the Bears defense.

Ike Okafor and LeBron Williams join the program as true freshmen this season and their roles remain to be seen. However, at face value you can always say that Cal has LeBron on its team this season.