Bruins boost D-line with addition of Oregon transfer Keanu Williams

For all of the standout additions on offense UCLA has added from the transfer portal this offseason, there were still questions about how the Bruins would address the much-maligned defense.

The defensive line received a boost Saturday, with Oregon transfer Keanu Williams announcing via social media he was headed to Westwood.

As a redshirt freshman last season, the 6-foot-6, 304-pounder played 113 snaps over six games and made two tackles to go with a pass break-up.

In 2021, Williams made three tackles in four games, giving the Clovis, Calif. native three years of eligibility.

Out of high school, Williams was a four-star defensive end ranked inside the top 20 at his position in the 2021 class.

He is the 15th player to transfer to UCLA this offseason, but just the fourth on defense along with fellow lineman Jake Heimlicher (Penn), linebacker Oluwafemi Oladejo (Cal) and safety Jordan Anderson (Bowling Green).

Williams’ decision adds size to a group that lost both Martin Andrus Jr. and Harvard transfer Jacob Sykes after both exhausted their eligibility.

Williams joins a group that includes Jay Toia and Gary Smith III in the interior and edge rushers Gabriel and Grayson Murphy and Laiatu Latu — all of whom transferred into the program over the past two years.

It remains unclear how the Bruins will handle the defensive line coaching duties after Chad Kauha’aha’a left the program earlier this offseason.

UCLA's current offseason transfer additions:

- DE Jake Heimlicher (from Penn, 11/29)

- LB Oluwafemi Oladejo (from Cal, 12/5)

- P Will Powers (from Princeton, 12/10)

- QB Collin Schlee (from Kent State, 12/17)

- LG Spencer Holstege (from Purdue, 12/18)

- RB Anthony Adkins (from Army, 12/19)

- TE Moliki Matavao (from Oregon, 12/20)

- PK Blake Glessner (from Montana State, 1/2)

- RB Carson Steele (from Ball State, 1/4)

- S Jordan Anderson (from Bowling Green, 1/6)

- WR J.Michael Sturdivant (from Cal, 1/13)

- OT Caleb Walker (from College of the Sequoias, 1/14)

- WR Kyle Ford (from USC, 1/17)

- LT Khadere Kounta (from Old Dominion, 1/23)

- DL Keanu Williams (from Oregon, 1/28)