Cal received signatures from 18 players on the first-ever early signing day for college football, meaning coach Justin Wilcox and his staff won’t be spending the next six weeks protecting their future stars from being poached by rival teams.
This also is Wilcox’s first full class after being named head coach last Jan. 14, which was way too late in the recruiting process to have much impact on the 2017 signees.
It was clear Wilcox was pleased with the work he and his assistants had done.
“Obviously, these are talented and skilled players who can help us win championships,” Wilcox said.
Because of the early signing date, more players than usual are likely to enroll in time for spring practice. That’s certainly the case for junior college transfers Cal Doughty, a linebacker from Los Gatos High and the College of San Mateo, and defensive lineman Lone Toailoa from Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut.
“For them to be able to enroll early was a big deal for us,” Wilcox said. “We signed both with the idea that they would get here early.”
The class is heavier on Bay Area recruits than what Cal fans got used to under Sonny Dykes. Seven of the 18 players are from areas Cal would call its backyard, and that includes top recruits such as offensive linemen Will Craig from Granite Bay and Brandon Mello from Clayton Valley Charter.
“Local guys are really important,” Wilcox said. “There is no reason local guys shouldn’t come here. At the same time, we are a national brand. But you want to build your team from the inside-out, from the Bay Area first.”
While the offensive line is the strength of the class, Wilcox admitted the defensive front could use reinforcements. Toailoa and Aaron Maldonado were the only defensive linemen signed by the Bears, but Wilcox said Cal could add up to five more players by the traditional signing date, which is the first Wednesday in February.
Cal did sign four linebackers, three with Bay Area roots. Besides Doughty, new additions included Nick Alftin from Archbishop Mitty and JH Tevis from Menlo School.
Alftin and Tevis were a bit under the radar, but these are the kind of chances that could pay off big time.
A few more thoughts on a Cal class that is about three-quarters complete:
• It wasn’t a perfect day in Bear Territory. Quarterback JT Shrout flipped from Cal to Tennessee. He was the second quarterback to decommit. Adrian Martinez, who committed to Cal as a junior before changing his mind several months ago, signed with Nebraska.
• The Bears also lost offensive guard Atonio Mafi from Serra. He flipped to UCLA on Wednesday morning. As so often happens, Mafi was recruited by Cal assistant of Jerry Azzinaro. When Azzinaro was hired by new UCLA coach Chip Kelly, Mafi decided to follow.
• Revenge is sweet, however. At the same time Mafi was switching to UCLA, Briins’ commit Aaron Maldonado flipped to Cal. Maldonado is a 6-3, 295-pound defensive lineman form Bishop Amat High in Southern California.
• Cal’s class ranks in the upper half of the Pac-12, and while it might not stay there after everything is finalized in February, it should be no worse than seventh or eighth. And with Wilcox putting more of an emphasis on the Bay Area than Dykes did, more and more local players will stay home.
• But there is work to be done on the local front. Mello and Alftin were the only players signed by Cal who are ranked among the Bay Area’s top 10 recruits by 247Sports. However, two prizes remain in St. Francis four-star Tyler Manoa and San Ramon Valley offensive lineman Blake McDonald. Manoa was once committed to BYU and McDonald decommitted from UCLA.
