Cal RB Zion Echols to Transfer

Cal's running back stable took a hit Tuesday night as RB Zion Echols tweeted out the compliance paperwork that allows other schools to talk with him moving forward. His transfer will likely not have any restrictions.

Echols, a redshirt freshman, initially committed to Cal, backed off his pledge, and eventually recommitted late in the 2016 cycle. As a 3-star ATH from Charter Oak, Echols was initially put at running back, then moved to inside wide receiver, then moved back to running back when Justin Wilcox and the rest of the coaching staff arrived in Berkeley.

An explosive back, Echols wowed in practice at times, but didn't put it together in games, as he'll have finished his Cal career with 13 carries for 17 yards along with 5 receptions for 17 yards in 10 games played. By the end of the season, Patrick Laird had cemented himself as the lead back, and Vic Enwere and Derrick Clark appeared to be ahead of him on the depth chart.

With the recruitment of RBs Johnny Adams and Chris Brown Jr., along with Biaggio Ali-Walsh coming off a redshirt year and Tre Watson likely returning after an ACL tear during the Weber State game derailed his senior year, the backfield looked to be crowded in 2018. Echols leaving clears the picture a little bit.

Echols becomes the eighth member of Cal's 2016 class to leave the team, by transfer or otherwise, before their eligibility was through.