The California Golden Bears football program has expanded its 2026 roster with the addition of 34 new players, head coach Tosh Lupoi announced Wednesday. Of these, 32 joined via the transfer portal and two are incoming high school athletes. With these latest additions, Cal’s roster now features 50 newcomers for the upcoming season, including 40 already enrolled for the spring semester.
Cal’s transfer portal class is currently ranked second in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and fourteenth nationally by 247Sports.
The group includes 15 offensive players, 16 defensive players, and three specialists. On offense, the new arrivals consist of six offensive linemen, three running backs, three wide receivers, two tight ends, and one quarterback. Notable transfers include Jacob Arop (South Dakota), Jackson Brosseau (Colorado State), Ashten Emory (UTEP), Chase Hendricks (Ohio), Jimothy Lewis Jr. (Mississippi State), Adam Mohammed (Washington), Cooper Perry (Oregon), Mykeal Rabess (FIU), Anthony Rivera (Kent State), Ian Strong (Rutgers), Kahlee Tafai (Minnesota), Dorian Thomas (New Mexico), Roger Vanderhoef (Grant HS), Chris Vargas (UC Davis) and Rico Walker (Purdue).
Wide receivers Hendricks and Strong enter their fourth collegiate seasons in 2026. Over their first three years, they have combined for 333 receptions, more than 3,200 receiving yards and 23 touchdowns across a total of 75 games and 51 starts. Tight end Thomas recorded career highs last year with 56 catches for 560 yards—ranking third and eighth among FBS tight ends nationwide in those categories. Running backs Emory, Mohammed and Vargas collectively logged nearly 1,550 rushing yards and scored a total of thirteen touchdowns last season.
Defensively, Cal added five defensive backs, five edge rushers, three inside linebackers and three defensive linemen to its squad. The new defenders include Justin Beadles (Louisville), Ricky Fletcher (Ole Miss), Marquis Groves-Killebrew (Arizona), Daniel Harris (Georgia), Michael Hurst Jr. (Northern Arizona), Tristan Jernigan (Texas A&M), Jericho Johnson (Oregon), Kingston Lopa (Oregon), Kamar Mothudi (Oregon), Emmanuel Okoye (Tennessee), Joshua Pierce (North Texas), Sosaia Noa (Grant HS), Ashun Sheppard (Mississippi State), AJ Tuitele (USC); Jayden Williams (North Texas) and Solomon Williams (Texas A&M).
Seven defensive additions—Fletcher, Harris, Jernigan, Johnson, Lopa, Mothudi and Solomon Williams—were part of teams that reached the College Football Playoff in the previous season; Fletcher and Harris each started three games during those playoff runs. Nine newcomers overall were on playoff teams last year: Perry and long snapper David Bird also participated in postseason play. In total twenty-three of Cal’s new recruits played on teams involved in postseason competition during the previous campaign.
Special teams have been bolstered by Bird’s return after spending two seasons at Cal before transferring to Alabama for one year; he rejoins as a long snapper alongside punter Angus Davies from Tulsa and placekicker Towns McGough from Auburn.
Eight newcomers were ranked among the top-25 at their respective positions within this year’s transfer portal by either 247Sports or On3: Adam Mohammed (#6 running back); Dorian Thomas (#6 tight end); Kingston Lopa (#8 safety); Daniel Harris (#13 cornerback); Chase Hendricks (#16 wide receiver); David Bird (#18 long snapper); Jericho Johnson (#18 defensive lineman); Ian Strong (#22 wide receiver). Hendricks was also rated #61 overall while Strong was #97 overall among all players available through the portal.
For further details on all newcomers joining Cal football in 2026 visit CalBears.com Signing Day Central.
“Tosh Lupoi announced Wednesday that the California football team has added 34 players to its 2026 roster…”
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