Cal football Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Tennessee Transfer DE Emmanuel Okoye Commits to Cal

Originally posted on Cal Bears on SI | By Jake Curtis | Last updated Jan 17, 2026 1:02 PM ET

Tennessee transfer edge/defensive end Emmanuel Okoye announced on social media on Saturday that he has committed to Cal.

.The 6-foot-5, 243-pound Okoye played in eight games in 2025 for the Vols and recorded one tackle this past season as a redshirt sophomore.

He was a highly recruited four-star high school prospect out of NFL Academy who comes from England. Okoye had offers from Georgia, USC, Mississippi and Texas Tech among many others before signing with Tennessee.

He changed positions and had injury issues at Tennessee.

Also, three Cal players made moves in the transfer portal. Quarterback EJ Caminong, who entered the transfer portal after being the Bears’ third-string quarterback last season, has withdrawn from the portal and will stay at Cal.

He joins a Cal quarterback room that will include returning starter Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele and Colorado State transfer Jackson Brousseau.

Redshirt sophomore backup Cal tight end Ben Marshall and Cal redshirt freshman offensive lineman Syris Corley have entered the transfer portal.

Jeremiah 16:21. Go Bears!!@CalFootball pic.twitter.com/cuzskF860d
— Emmanuel Okoye (@_skywalker10) January 17, 2026

For Cal the major news is Okoye.

He did not play as a true freshman at Tennessee as a tight end. He moved to defensive end in the spring of 2024, but missed the entire 2024 season when he suffered a knee injury in preseason fall camp.

Okoye is considered an outstanding athlete with potential.

He is originally from Nigeria and attended the NFL Academy in Loughborough, United Kingdom, in the fall of 2022.

He was considered the No. 1 recruit in England, and On3 247Sports rated him a four-star prospect. ESPN and Rivals rated him a three-star recruit.

The transfer portal officially closed on Thursday, although reports of players who entered the portal may not surface until a few days later.

Once a player is in the transfer portal, he can commit to a new school at any time.

Cal QB EJ Caminong has withdrawn his name from the transfer portal, @chris_hummer, @mzenitz and I have learned. https://t.co/JDKmFrseRB
— Cody Nagel (@CodyNagel247) January 17, 2026

Cal TE Ben Marshall has entered the transfer portal.

The 6-foot-4, 245-pounder did not play in 2025. He appeared in 15 games primarily on specials teams in 2023 and 2024.https://t.co/CBhGc1cPM2 https://t.co/FpArqrD1Et
— 247Sports Transfer Portal (@247SportsPortal) January 17, 2026

This article first appeared on Cal Bears on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: