Cal lands elusive 2015 QB commit
A year a three weeks after Cal offered the top quarterback in the 2015 class -- Josh Rosen -- and proceeded to make overtures to Brady White, Jake Browning, Travis Waller, and Tyler Hilinski, the Bears finally landed a quarterback commit for their 2015 class in 3-star Bothell High quarterback Ross Bowers.
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Bowers, who announced his commitment to Cal on a nationally televised ESPNU broadcast this evening from The Opening in Beaverton, Oregon, didn't need a year plus to dote on the Bears, but rather two weeks.
"I'll be attending the University of California, Berkeley," he said on the broadcast.
Bowers becomes the fourth straight Elite 11 QB to commit to Cal, following Zach Kline (2011 finalist), Jared Goff (2012), and Luke Rubenzer (2013), one of which he said he looks forward to playing behind.
"I got to talk to (Jared Goff) a good bit on my visit, just realized he's such a good dude, he'll definitely be a guy I can look up to and help me along my way. Being under him, coming in as a freshman, I'm just going to be trying to learn and soak up as much as I can from him."
"I'll just try to be the best I can be in that program."
The Bears beat out Colorado State (phew) for the 6'2", 185-pound signal-caller who participated in Nike's Elite 11 Finals -- held in conjunction with Nike's The Opening -- over the last four days, coming out of Day 1 ranked sixth among the 18 high-profile quarterbacks selected for the event, before falling out of the Top-11 on Day 2.
Last season, Bowers led the Cougars to a 9-3 record before they lost in the WIAA 4-A quarterfinal round. He passed for 2,000+ yards as a junior with 25 TDs through the air and one on the ground.
"I'm definitely a worker, and a competitor. If I'm on your team, I'll be the best leader on your team," he told GoldenBearReport. "As a quarterback, it's important to be a leader on your football team. When things get tough, everyone looks to you. I embrace that."
And like Cal's prize 2014 QB commit, he has a bit of a shoulder-chip...
"As a quarterback, I can make every throw on the field. I work hard on my craft. And I don't go down easy. Don't let the 185 pound frame fool you, I won't go down without a fight," he said. "Escapability is also a strength of mine. I'm not a dual threat guy or anything like that, but I can escape the rush and extend plays. My feet help me in that way."
Bowers, who also held offers from James Madison (where his dad is an assistant coach), Montana, and Wake Forest, becomes the eighth commit of Cal's 2015 class, and sixth on the offensive side of the ball. He's also the eighth of eight commits who checks in as a 3-star recruit.
GoldenBearReport staff writer Marc Tausend contributed to this story.