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Cal 2019 Spring Wrap-Up: Spring Superlatives

It's post-spring ball, and as a part of our post spring wrap-up, we're going to look at some of the superlatives of Spring Ball, continuing in a format used before fall camp 2018 (Read those here)

One caveat, a lot of the top guys on defense, like Evan Weaver and Cam Bynum, ceded time to some of the younger guys as they've both played a ton of reps, so a lot of them won't be included in here.

Breakout Guy

Here, I'm going with Jeremiah Hawkins, thanks to a spring ball performance that ramped up during the second half of the 15 sessions. Hawkins showed plenty of the athletic potential that he'd already shown over his first two seasons, along with more confidence in catching the ball and making plays with the ball in his hands.

That increased confidence allowed for more trust in putting the ball in his hands, leading to more jet sweeps, swing screens, and other things of that nature. Hawkins can make guys miss in small space, and he showed the much needed explosiveness that Cal needs for their offense in the slot.

Honorable Mention: Chris Brown

Comeback Kid

After a fall of rehab from a season ending foot injury, Cam Goode looks ready to go. Now at 235 lbs, Goode has the added heft to set an edge, along with keeping the speed to play in coverage and rush the passer. Goode, who noted that he'd eaten a ton of Whataburger to bulk up, flashed a ton in fall camp a year ago, and if he can leverage that performance and his spring performance into this fall, Cal's linebacker unit has the potential to be even better than it was in 2018.

Rising Star

Kuony Deng was the top rated recruit in the 2019 class, and while it's odd to see a 6'6" inside linebacker initially, Deng's play makes you realize why that's where the Cal staff is playing him. Deng will bump outside in some pass rushing packages, but there's a spot at inside linebacker up for the taking. Considering the kind of production both Evan Weaver and Jordan Kunaszyk put up in 2018, Deng could put up some big numbers in the fall.

Honorable Mention: Nick Alftin

Don’t Forget About

With two stalwarts gone from the offensive line in Addison Ooms and Patrick Mekari, and two regular starters out for the spring in Valentino Daltoso, the offensive line was in need of some leadership. That's where redshirt junior tackle Jake Curhan came in. The pride of Redwood High School garnered praise from Justin Wilcox for being a constant within the group, playing both right and left tackle during the spring. He's going to stay at right tackle as the Bears gave Will Craig a ton of reps at the spot, but he looks better in pass protection, and is part of a line that looks like they're improving as run blockers.

Needs to Rebound

This is a tough category, but Steven Coutts will need to rebound in the fall, as he was injured throughout the spring. The Aussie punter was sidelined with a lower body issue during the spring, and he''ll need to get back the leg strength that's led both Justin Wilcox and Charlie Ragle to call him 'a weapon' several times.

Dark Horse

The defensive line in a 3-4 is probably never going to get the credit it deserves, but I'm putting Zeandae Johnson here. He looks fully back from the knee injury that took away his 2017 season, and is improving as a run stopper. Johnson can also be a pass rushing threat, and with his quickness all the way back, expect to see more than the two sacks he had in 2018.

Under the Radar

Lot of guys who could fit in here, whether it's Marcel Dancy, Trey Turner, Daniel Scott, or Matthew Cindric, but I'm gonna go off the beaten path here with tight end Collin Moore. Moore, a former quarterback, is the top C-gap blocker among the tight end group, per Wilcox. The 6'4", 240 lb San Marin native made strides as a blocker for a group that's going to need some blocking in 12 personnel sets, and Moore's putting himself in a position to earn playing time in the fall.

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