Cal adds Illinois grad transfer receiver Brian Hightower
Cal continued to bolster its offense Tuesday night by making a key receiver addition. The Bears announced the signing of Illinois transfer Brian Hightower giving the team a proven option at the position. Hightower is a graduate transfer who is coming off the best season of his career in 2022.
The 6-foot-3 Los Angeles native caught 37 passes for 452 yards receiving to go with a pair of receiving touchdowns this season for the Illini. In his career, the former Rivals250 recruit has caught 60 passes for 809 yards and 6 touchdowns.
"Brian is a talented veteran wide receiver who came into his own last season and we are excited that he has decided to finish his collegiate career in our football program," Cal head coach Justin Wilcox said in a statement alongside the team's announcement Tuesday. "The transfer portal is a tremendous vehicle to add talented players like Brian to our roster."
Hightower began his career at Miami after making the move from the West Coast out to Florida to close out his high school career at IMG Academy. So, a move back to the other side of the country will give him an opportunity to be closer to home.
J. Michael Sturdivant, who led the Bears with 65 receptions in 2022, recently entering his name into the NCAA Transfer Portal meant the Cal coaches needed to add another playmaker to the group in case Sturdivant opts to ultimately leave to another program.
Hightower will provide the receiver group with size and production.
His addition adds to a strong stretch for the Bears after the program added top-75 transfer running back Justin Williams-Thomas over the weekend. Cal also added North Texas tight end transfer Asher Alberding in recent days as well.
The Bears remain on the hunt for a quarterback and offensive line help this offseason, but the staff has been active adding to the skill positions on that side of the ball.
In addition to Williams-Thomas and now Hightower, Cal also added four-star transfer running back Byron Cardwell from Oregon. He is currently ranked inside the top 50 of the Rivals transfer portal rankings.
Half of the 10 announced transfers for the Bears this offseason will be playing offense in Berkeley.