2021 DE Akili Calhoun Breaks Down Cal Commitment
The time was right for Akili Calhoun to commit to Cal Saturday, as a combination of factors led him to announce his commitment.
"I got to see the team, the people that I'd be around," Calhoun said, "and the atmosphere of the practice, also it kinda felt right. There's a lot about Cal that I really like, that I really appreciate. The fact that the education is so respected, having that option is really important to me."
The Liberty (Brentwood) defensive end told the coaches of his decision, getting a massive reaction from the staff and his future defensive line coach, Andrew Browning, in particular.
"It was cool, they were so happy to have me," Calhoun recalled, "(Browning) was so happy, he gave me a big ol' hug, told me 'we're gonna be great,' I said I can't wait."
Fellow Cal commit Jermaine Terry was up with him, as the Kennedy tight end has been a factor in recruiting for the Bears in the 2021 cycle, as he looked to convince Calhoun to stay at home for college. Terry's words of wisdom made an impact.
"He's been in my ear, but at the same time he supported the fact that I wanted to still explore and see some different places," Calhoun said "At the end of the day, he was the first one who told me 'you can go anywhere, but you're representing somewhere else, there's nothing like representing your own team.'"
The practice aspect Saturday was another piece of the puzzle for Calhoun, who saw the detail that Browning puts into his drills.
"It was so different from a high school practice," Calhoun said, "it was interesting to watch. The difference in attention to detail and the number of drills they did, some of those drills I've never seen before."
The excitement of Calhoun committing even brought DL target Derek Wilkins up for a visit to Berkeley, as Wilkins was down visiting Stanford and wasn't originally booked to come to the other side of the Bay.
"It was dope, especially him coming from Stanford," Calhoun said, "it was really cool, that's my dude, I'm trying to get him to come to Cal, but at the same time, I'm going to support him wherever he goes because that's my dude."
Now the focus for Calhoun turns from recruit to recruiter for the Bears, as he has a couple targets in mind.
"It'd be cool to get Derek and Kaleb Elarms-Orr," Calhoun said, "he's a dude, and he's just going to make our defense better if we get him."
The focus also turns to his senior year, as Liberty looks to improve on a 10-2 season that saw them end up in the NCS D1 semifinals. Calhoun has a goal for his future school in mind that's propelling him forward.
"I have something to work toward," Calhoun said, "because I'm trying to be the best pass rusher in the Pac-12."
He'll be doing it close to home, as the veritable hometown hero.
"At the end of the day," Calhoun noted, "there's nothing like playing for your home team, being able to represent where you're from."
