The Notre Dame-to-Cal pipeline is thriving as the Bears begin building their roster for 2025. The latest member of the Irish to make Berkeley his new home is another former highly targeted prospect.
Former Rivals100 defensive end Tyson Ford committed to Cal on Friday following a visit giving the program its first public transfer addition of the winter cycle. Ford, who was ranked as the No. 51 overall recruit by Rivals in the 2022 class, sat out the 2024 season as a medical non-counter after stepping away from the game for a time.
"I believe Cal is the right spot for me because I believe in the coaching staff, especially Coach Sirmon and Coach Browning," Ford said following his announcement. "They showed me a plan of how I would succeed in their system and I believe it is exactly what I need in order to maximize my abilities. Aside from football, it also helps that Cal is a great spot academically and I will receive a master’s degree that will only bolster my resume in the future."
The St. Louis native is set to graduate from Notre Dame in May and will head to Cal with three seasons of remaining eligibility after playing in three games in 2023. Ford has played just 13 snaps in his career up to this point but will join the Bears with a renewed opportunity to contribute in a bigger capacity following his three years in South Bend.
The is reason for optimism for both the 6-foot-4, 290-pound transfer as Aidan Keanaaina made a similar move from Notre Dame to Cal last year and went on to become a key contributor up front this fall.
Ford will be the third Notre Dame player on Cal's roster next season, as it stands now, joining Keanaaina and wide receiver Tobias Merriweather, who both joined the Bears last offseason.
The former four-star prospect was decorated as a recruit, including being named an Under Armour All-American, leading to several notable offers from programs around the country. Georgia, Oklahoma, Michigan, LSU, Texas and Arkansas were some of the schools that pursued the John Burroughs School star during the 2022 cycle.
Ford announced his intention to enter the transfer portal on Oct. 1 with Cal becoming the first program to offer him Nov. 21. Boise State also jumped into the mix with an offer last week.
