ASU adding a transfer from a Big 12 school was bound to happen sooner or later. Sure enough, even before playing its inaugural season in the new conference, the Sun Devils did add such a player as Cincinnati defensive line transfer Justin Wodtly, who was in Tempe for an official visit announced that he would join the ranks in Tempe.

“I didn't really know what I expected from ASU,” Wodtly said. “It was my first time being in the state of Arizona, and I thought I was gonna get off the plane and see tumbleweeds and cactuses all over (laughs). But they definitely showed me way, way more than I could ever imagine. I liked the city, and being from Cleveland, it wasn’t too foreign to me. Hanging out with the players and all the recruits just felt natural, like I was part of the team already. Nothing was forced. It was a great vibe, and everything clicked.

“I connected with the coaching staff and the new D-line coach. Coach Reynolds, he's the real deal, man. So, being able to get a chance to play for him, seeing how much interest they have in me and how much they think they can develop me into a better player… there were all things that I had to take into account, and it made the decision really easy.”

Being that he has been in contact with the Sun Devils for only a few days, there wasn’t a chance to develop a strong relationship with the staff. Nonetheless, the vast experience of new defensive line coach Diron Reynolds showcased plenty of credibility that made a significant impact on the Cincinnati transfer.

“He coached a lot of big household names in the NFL,” Wodtly described. “And he coached a lot of guys that made it to the NFL. He’s been there before coaching in the NFL, so me, as a defensive lineman looking for an opportunity to play at the next level, you got to surround yourself with the best coaches.

“He thinks that I use my hands very well and that I could probably play 3-tech and they want to get me out edges too to allow me to use my skill set to create a lot of disruption in the backfield. He likes my explosiveness and my high motor. He said that I have a great get-off and I’m able to win those one-on-one matchups. I was able to do that out of our three-down front in Cincinnati, and coming here to a new NFL-style defense, I feel that it benefits my skill set a lot.”

“I feel like having the opportunity to play for a guy like that much experience and that much knowledge can only make me a better football player.”

The 6-3 275-pound lineman can play either inside or outside on Arizona State's front four, which means he could replace either defensive end BJ Green, who entered the portal, or defensive tackle Dashaun Mallory, who exhausted his eligibility.

Injuries reduced Wotdly's role this past season with the Bearcats, and in 11 games, he registered 13 tackles, 1.5 tackles for-a-loss and a sack. This came on the heels of a 2022 campaign where he played in all 12 games, posting 31 tackles, 4.5 tackles for-a-loss, and three sacks. Wotdly has two years of eligibility remaining and is set to meet his old team when ASU travels to Cincinnati for a road game in 2024, with a date to be announced later.‌

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