PULLMAN — Washington State has finally landed an offensive lineman from the transfer portal. The Cougars signed Utah transfer offensive tackle Kalolo Ta’aga, the program announced Tuesday afternoon, …
Jan. 13—PULLMAN — Washington State has finally landed an offensive lineman from the transfer portal.
The Cougars signed Utah transfer offensive tackle Kalolo Ta’aga, the program announced Tuesday afternoon, bringing in an important piece for next season.
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Listed at 6-foot-7 and 325 pounds, Ta’aga started his career in 2024 at USC, where he didn’t see the field. He spent last season at Utah, where he played only 19 snaps in two games: 16 snaps of offense with a blowout win over Cal Poly out of reach, then three snaps of special teams against Texas Tech.
After redshirting in 2024, Ta’aga will have three years of eligibility, giving him some wiggle room with his development at WSU.
In his small sampling of offensive snaps, Ta’aga played right tackle, suggesting that’s where he might contribute for WSU. The Cougars’ top option at that position currently is Jaylin Caldwell, who has re-signed for next season, but he missed the final six games last year with a knee injury.
If the Cougars’ 2026 season started tomorrow, they would likely have their starting offensive linemen in the fold: Left tackle Ashton Tripp, left guard Jonny Lester, center Kyle Martin, right guard Noah Dunham and right tackle Caldwell.
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Even though offensive line ranked closer to the bottom in head coach Kirby Moore’s list of priorities for the upcoming season
, Ta’aga’s addition remains crucial for the Cougs, especially if he can play one of the guard spots. WSU might like Lester and Dunham, but the latter is pretty inexperienced, playing 210 snaps in seven games last season, the majority filling in for injured teammates in the middle of the season. Lester showed some meaningful versatility last season, moving to right tackle when Caldwell went down with an injury, but he’s at his best on the interior.
A native of East Palo Alto, California, Ta’aga was a three-star prospect in the class of 2024. At the time, he earned offers from Florida, BYU, Arizona, Arizona State, Cal and others. He was ranked by 247 Sports as the No. 49 overall recruit in California and the No. 51 offensive tackle nationwide.
Ta’aga’s addition also fits in nicely with Moore’s strategy in the portal, which seems to be finding Power 4 athletes who didn’t get a chance to play much at their previous schools and give them a shot with the Cougars. Of the 26 players WSU has landed via the portal this offseason, nine come from the Power 4 ranks.
Source: Utah News