UCLA adds left tackle Khadere Kounta from transfer portal

For a second consecutive season, the UCLA football program could be looking at a plug-and-play transfer addition at left tackle.

Khadere Kounta, a three-year starter at Old Dominion, announced via social media Monday morning that he is headed to Westwood.

The 6-foot-6, 306-pounder from Gaithersburg, Md. started 27 of 33 games for the Monarchs from 2019-22. Old Dominion’s 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kounta is the 14th player and third offensive lineman to transfer to UCLA this offseason.

His addition continues to address an area of need after Raiqwon O’Neal, who transferred from Rutgers to UCLA last offseason and started each game at left tackle, declared for the NFL draft after the season.

Kounta’s commitment comes nine days after junior college offensive tackle Caleb Walker transferred to Westwood from College of the Sequoias.

The Bruins will be replacing three of their five starters along the line, including guards Atonio Mafi and Jon Gaines II.

- 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)