Justin Wilcox was officially announced as Cal's head coach in January of 2017, tasked with filling out Cal's 2017 class and keeping some key members in place. The class ended up having fourteen players who signed on February's national signing day that year, along with a few players who were added on scholarship in the months that followed.

This class is approaching its fifth year in eligibility, a point where most would be redshirt seniors and the foundations of their respective teams. Since the 2017 class was one of the smallest Cal has had, it has had a ripple effect, to where the Bears will likely have a small 2022 class because of the size of this group (along with a pandemic-caused scholarship crunch affecting the sport in general). Like any other class, it's a group that has had a number of hits and misses, with a few foundational pieces that have started over multiple seasons.

Garbers was someone Wilcox looked to keep on board in the class, and that decision got Cal's head coach a multi-year starter at quarterback. Over 25 games played (23 started), Garbers is 375-611 (61% completion) for 4049 yards, 34 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. Garbers has also rushed for 715 yards and 7 touchdowns, and Cal is 14-5 when Garbers starts and plays more than half the game.

While Garbers' numbers took a hit in 2020, he has given the Bears stability at the position after taking over the job at the beginning of 2019.

Saffell was one of four players in the 2017 class to play right away, and he saw most of his time at right guard, a position he stayed at until 2019, where he took over his starting center spot.

Saffell has played in 28 games at Cal, starting 23, and has become a key piece in Cal's offensive line. He also earned his degree from Cal in 3.5 years and is pursuing a master's degree in data science at the Haas School of Business.

Hicks is a rarity in the recruiting world, as the former La Mirada defensive back early enrolled at Cal between coaches. That move paid off, as Hicks was a starter as a true freshman and has played in every single game since his arrival. Over those 42 games, he has 34 starts, 30 at cornerback and 4 at safety.

Over that time, Hicks has amassed 141 tackles, 9 TFLs, 2 sacks, 2 interceptions, 12 pass breakups, 14 passes defended, and 2 forced fumbles. He's also raised $60,000 for No Kid Hungry amid the Covd-19 pandemic, and earned a spot on the Allstate Good Works team.

A late addition for Cal in the 2017 class, Scott was one of a handful of player to commit after the final visit weekend of the cycle. Since then, Scott has played safety for the Bears, and finally jumped into a starting role near the end of 2019, in place of an injured Ashtyn Davis.

Scott has played in 25 games total since getting to Berkeley, with four starts (three in 2020), putting up 40 tackles, one interception, one pass breakup, two passes defended, and a fumble recovery. 20 of those tackles came over the four games in 2020, as Scott has been productive as a starter.

Reinwald was another late addition to the class, as Cal needed tight ends. Reinwald ended up playing right away, thanks to injuries at the spot, and the former Elk Grove standout has played in 29 games total, redshirting the 2018 season. During that time Reinwald has started five games (three in 2019), and has 27 receptions for 260 yards and two touchdowns. Reinwald is in line to take a number of fullback/h-back snaps this spring, and has bulked up to 240 lbs since coming to Cal.

A junior college transfer who had already enrolled by the time Justin Wilcox got to Berkeley, Funches ended up playing a bigger role on the Cal defense, thanks to Cameron Saffle getting injured early in 2017 and Cam Goode getting injured early in 2018. Funches, over two seasons in Berkeley, played in 25 games with 20 starts, recording 74 tackles, 18.5 TFLs, 9 sacks, one pass break up, one forced fumble, and five QB hurries.

Funches spent some time on the roster of the XFL's Los Angeles Wildcats in 2020, prior to the league folding.

Smith was another late addition for the Bears in 2017, choosing Cal on signing day. Since his commitment, Smith has played sparingly, playing in 19 games total after redshirting the 2017 season. Smith did not play in 2020, but over his 19 games in 2018-19, he recorded 13 total tackles.

Hawkins stayed on with the Bears through the coaching change, joining his nephew Jaylinn Hawkins on the Cal roster. He played right away for the Bears in the fall of 2017, and over the 30 games he played, he had two starts, 31 receptions for 313 yards and a touchdown.

Hawkins opted out of the 2020 season and entered the transfer portal after the season. He has since signed with Texas State, reuniting him with the coaches that recruited him to Cal in Jake Spavital and Jacob Peeler. Hawkins is part of a unique recruiting class in San Marcos, where all 11 signees came out of the transfer portal.

Poutasi was the first commit to jump on board in the Wilcox era, but dealt with injuries over his four year in Berkeley. During that time, he only appeared in four games in a backup role on the offensive line.

Following the 2020 season, Poutasi entered the transfer portal, and has since signed with FCS program Northern Arizona.

Moos was another signing day commit for Cal, as the Bears needed tight ends. He eventually flipped to outside linebacker and has played some in a backup role. Prior to opting out for the 2020 season, Moos had played in 16 games, picking up 8 tackles and .5 TFLs. Moos has the option to return for the 2021 season.

Cherry was Cal's first commit of the 2017 class and stuck with the Bears with Wilcox coming on board. He did not see the field much during his time at Cal, and prior to opting out of the 2020 season, Cherry had only played as a backup against Idaho State in 2018. Cherry has since entered the transfer portal and has not currently found a new home.

Ali-Walsh stuck with Cal through the coaching change, but only stayed at Cal for two seasons. He redshirted in 2017, and played in eight games in 2018. He recorded a single rush attempt for one yard (against USC), along with a tackle and a forced fumble against Arizona.

Ali-Walsh, the grandson of Muhammad Ali, transferred to UNLV in 2019, but left the game of football in 2020 to pursue his modeling and acting career.

Johnson, like high school teammate Jeremiah Hawkins, stuck with the Bears through the coaching change. He redshirted in 2017 and had a strong spring ball session in 2018, but left the team prior to the 2018 season. He resurfaced at El Camino College in 2019, finishing that season with 22 receptions for 345 yards and 2 TDs in 10 games played.

Harmon was another late offer, one who got on campus in the summer of 2017 but left the Cal program prior to the 2017, citing a poor fit with the institution. Harmon has since made his mark at San Jose State, with 207 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries and an interception.

P Steven Coutts - Coutts was a graduate transfer from Louisiana, who ended up starting at punter during the 2018 and most of the 2019 season.

OL Valentino Daltoso - Daltoso, who was formerly a walk-on at Oregon, transferred to Cal to get on scholarship. Since then, Daltoso has played in 35 games, with 34 total starts. He has taken reps at every offensive line position that isn't the center spot. Daltoso started the 2020 opener prior to being sidelined due to Covid-19 protocols, and is one of 10 'super seniors' returning for 2021

LS Alonso Vera - Vera, another junior college addition, was Cal's starting longsnapper over the 2017 and 2018 seasons, and did not have a bad snap during his time in Berkeley.

DL Siulagisipai Fuimaono - Fuimaono came over to the states from Japan, as his father served at Kadena Air Force Base in Okinawa. The 6'4" 320 lb nose guard redshirted in 2017, played in 12 of 13 games in 2018 (one start), and recorded eight tackles, one pass breakup and a fumble recovery. Fuimaono left the team prior to the 2019 season and did not return.

Of the eighteen players that ended up making the class:

- Four are slated to have key starting roles in 2021 (Garbers, Saffell, Hicks, Scott)

- Two should have key backup/potential starting roles (Daltoso and Reinwald)

- One should have a backup role (Smith)

- Three have finished their eligibility at Cal (Funches, Coutts, Vera)

- One has played as a backup, but it's unclear whether he's returning (Moos)

- Four have transferred out (Cherry, Hawkins, Ali-Walsh, Poutasi)

- Two left the team and have played elsewhere (Harmon, Johnson)

- One left the team and has not returned to football (Fuimaono)