Cal Lands a 2020 Lineman: OL Everett Johnson Breaks Down his Commitment
This is a rarity.
It's not often that you see a sophomore commit to a college. Much less right after they're offered.
That was just the case with Everett Johnson, a two-way lineman from Turlock High School. Johnson was offered today and committed to the Bears practically on the spot. Johnson has had the idea of committing right after getting offered in his head for a while though.
"When I was in eight grade," Johnson said, "I had a basketball tournament up at Berkeley. My dad took me to the campus and we toured it, and I fell in love. It was amazing, it was beautiful, it was the summertime, it was perfect. Went back last year, going into my sophomore year, during the summer. Went to a football camp, coaches were awesome, the atmosphere was great, and I just fell in love with it. I just knew then, if Cal offers me, I will commit."
And that's how it turned out, as Cal now has their first 2020 commit before their first 2019 commit.
The Cal coaches talked to Johnson through his high school coach earlier today
"Coach (James) Peterson, he's a great guy, love him," Johnson said, "he's been very involved in my recruitment process, and I have a lot to thank him for for this opportunity right now. I talked to coach (Nick) Edwards, he told me to call coach (Steve) Greatwood, so I called them both to tell them the great news."
Greatwood, who would be Johnson's position coach (he's slated for offensive line, is already someone that Johnson's knows of, due to coming to Cal's lineman camp a summer ago.
"He's a great coach," Johnson said,"he's coached some of the top offensive linemen in the nation and at one of the highest levels of college football that there is and I know that he knows a lot about the game. I'm looking forward to working with him. He was at the camp and talking to Greatwood, he's a great coach and I know all the knowledge that he has. It's gonna be great to learn more of that knowledge as I continue to work with him."
Johnson also went up to the Bears' best game of the season last year, another factor that led to his decision.
"I went up to a game, when they played Washington State, that was probably one of the greatest things I've ever seen," Johnson said, "being on the field Friday night, it was a great atmosphere."
Though it's early, Johnson noted that he's pretty content with the Bears.
"I'm definitely locked in with Cal," Johnson said, "I'm open with other coaches offering me and all that, but I'm definitely locked in for Cal."
The Cal staff has to be happy to get a massive lineman this early in the class. At 6'8", 290 lbs, Johnson already moves fluidly from his guard spot, with plenty of room to refine his technique. There's a lot of leverage that comes from being that big, and you can't teach size. Johnson also boasts a 3.8 GPA and wants to study sports medicine in the future.
Johnson also plans on going back to the summer camps at Berkeley, and possibly talking more with his future head coach.
"I met him at the camp and at the game," Johnson said about coach Justin Wilcox, "it was great to talk to him, I know it was his first year, but I know he's a great coach, I know he has a lot of experience in the game and I know he's just a great guy, he's super nice."