Published Dec 12, 2019
Cal Lands Westlake (Austin, TX) WR Mason Mangum
Trace Travers  •  GoldenBearReport
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When Cal hosted Mason Mangum over the weekend, he left with this thought.

"I think it's an awesome place," Mangum told Golden Bear Report Tuesday night, "a place where I'd love to go to school, where I'd love to play. I really loved it"

In the aftermath of coming home and an in-home visit with Cal wide receivers coach Burl Toler, he made the decision to be a Cal Bear, committing to Cal Thursday morning. Mangum becomes the 24th member of Cal's 2020 class, and the fifth receiver among the group, joining Jeremiah Hunter, Aidan Lee, Tommy Christakos and Justin Baker.

The one-time Arkansas commit will be signing with the Bears next week as well.

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Mangum was hosted over the weekend by Berkeley native Ben Hawk Schrider, as it was his first visit to Cal as a football recruit (he'd previously seen Berkeley as a track recruit). It was an opportunity to build the relationship with Toler in-person, after not doing so previously.

"It was great to meet him in person," Mangum said, "it's hard to really get to know somebody over the phone, getting a sense of who he is and how he coaches his players was really great, seems like an awesome guy. Seems like he'd be great to be coached by, it was good to start that relationship."

Mangum also got comfortable with Justin Wilcox and the city of Berkeley, as he was with Schrider, QB Spencer Brasch, and fellow 2020 Cal commit Zach Johnson for the majority of the trip.

"(Wilcox) seems like a great leader of the program as you can tell," Mangum said, "it was good to meet him and talk a little bit. Most of the weekend was just getting to know them, seeing what the school is like, but at the end we did some meetings, coach Toler took me through some film, showed me what I'd be doing, what the offense is like, who the players I'd be watching, where I'd be playing. That was cool to see where I'd be playing and what they have planned."

Cal is planning on using Mangum as an inside receiver, with the ability to move him around outside as well. Mangum ran a 4.45 40 at the Opening in Houston back in March, showing his breakaway speed, as he's been one of the key pieces leading Westlake through the playoffs (they're in the 6A Semifinals this weekend).

Right now, Mangum gives the Bears another athletic receiver among a talented group, as the position needs depth going into 2020.

By The Numbers

1. Mangum's commitment gives the Bears 24 commits, all high school recruits. The Bears have three more spots in the wake of Mangum committing.

2. Commits by position

QB: 2

RB: 2

WR: 5

TE: 2

OL: 2

DL: 3

LB: 2

DB: 5

ATH: 1

3. Commits by State

CA: 15

AZ: 2

TX: 2

HI: 2

OR: 1

WA: 1

CT: 1