Arizona State adds two huge offensive linemen in transfer portal
Kenny Dillingham replaces two offensive line transfers with top prospects
Arizona State’s spring semester started Monday, which means Kenny Dillingham is ready to get his newest transfer portal pickups acclimated to the desert.
The Sun Devils were able to keep their offensive line largely intact during the winter transfer portal window, only losing freshman Luis Cordova to the portal in December and redshirt freshman Sirri Kandiyeli after ASU’s Peach Bowl loss to Texas in the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff.
Dillingham continues to work his magic in the portal. He filled Cordova’s and Kandiyeli’s open roster slots with big-time offensive line transfers just in time for the new semester.
FormerTexas State senior offensive lineman Jimeto Obigbo and former Nebraska redshirt freshman Xander Ruggerroli committed to the Sun Devils on Sunday.
Obigbo and Ruggerroli were two of three transfers who committed to the Sun Devils on Sunday, joining former Oregon redshirt defensive lineman My’Keil Garner. They are the only offensive line signings out of ASU’s 11 transfer additions this winter.
Obigbo and Ruggerroli were two of three transfers who committed to the Sun Devils on Sunday, joining former Oregon redshirt defensive lineman My’Keil Garner. They are the only offensive line signings out of ASU’s 11 transfer additions this winter.
Obigbo Climbs The College Ranks
Both lineman are big for Arizona State in their own way, and we’re not just talking size.
Obigbo is a story everyone loves when it comes to the new transfer rules. The senior made his jumps through Division I after signing to FCS program Incarnate Word as an unranked high school recruit in the class of 2021 out of Texas.
Staying home to continue his college football career, Obigbo played eight games his freshman season, lining up at right guard, left guard and right tackle to protect 2024 Heisman Trophy finalist Cam Ward before he transferred to Washington State and later Miami. Obigbo played solely right tackle during the 2022 season, earning second team all-conference honors. He transferred to Texas State the following spring.
The senior was one of five offensive lineman to transfer from UIW to Texas State for the 2023 season. Obigbo started 12 out of 13 games at right tackle and one game at right guard. He played only 41 snaps over four games for the Bobcats in 2024, making him eligible for a redshirt and one season of play as a Sun Devil. He was high school teammates with ASU redshirt junior offensive lineman Josh Atkins at Texas’ Mansfield Timberview High School. Atkins had stints at Hawai’i and Houston before landing in Tempe.
Ruggerroli doesn’t bring the same amount of experience as Obigbo, not playing any snaps for Nebraska over the course of two seasons; however, the Big Ten Conference practice experience is enough to speak for itself.
The redshirt freshman signed to the Cornhuskers as a class of 2024 three-star prospect out of national powerhouse Bishop Gorman High School (Las Vegas). He was ranked as one of the top 100 offensive tackles in the country by 247sports.
The offensive linemen are two of five new commitments for ASU. They will join Garner in Tempe, as well as former Georgia and Purdue redshirt cornerback Nyland Green and former Alabama redshirt freshman wide receiver Jaren Hamilton who committed to the Sun Devils on Monday.
