Former UCLA defensive lineman Tyler Manoa commits to Arizona

Arizona remains dedicated to heavily the state of Southern California, and this isn’t just limited to prep prospects.

The Wildcats have landed a commitment from former UCLA defensive lineman Tyler Manoa, their first pickup this offseason from the NCAA transfer portal.

The 6-foot-4, 300-pound Manoa spent five seasons with the Bruins, appearing in 41 games with five starts. He was moved to offensive line for 2022 and did not play, leaving the program in October, but with Arizona he’s expected to return to his defensive roots.

Oregon State, UNLV, San Jose State and UConn are some of the programs who were recruiting Manoa from the portal.

Originally from Hayward, Calif., Manoa was the No. 326 overall recruit in the 2018 class when he picked UCLA over offers from Arizona, BYU, Oregon, Tennessee and Utah, among others.

With several defensive linemen entering the portal, Arizona has an immediate need on the interior. The UA also has known commitments from at least five defensive linemen.

Manoa is the third former UCLA player to transfer to Arizona in the past year, joining defensive lineman Tioalli Savea and safety DJ Warnell. The Wildcats also got their defensive coordinator, Johnny Nansen, from the Bruins’ staff, and coach Jedd Fisch also spent the 2017 season in Westwood.