On the same day Cal received an official commitment from Purdue transfer quarterback Jack Plummer, the Bears reeled in yet another big fish from the transfer portal, as Cal added Utah defensive end Xavier Carlton to its roster.

Carlton recorded 18 tackles, four tackles for loss, one sack, a quarterback hit and a pass breakup as a redshirt freshman in 11 games for the Utes. The four-star prospect was heavily recruited by Cal coming out of high school and certainly has the upside to break out as a member of the blue and gold.

With star outside linebackers Kuony Deng and Cameron Goode announcing their intentions to enter the 2022 NFL draft, the Bears needed to address how they’d generate pressure on opposing quarterbacks. The arrival of Carlton should help answer that question, as he’ll join Ethan Saunders, Jaedon Roberts, Darius Long, Derek Wilkins and Akili Calhoun along the defensive line.