This afternoon, leading wide receiver Chad Hansen decided to forego his senior season and declare for the NFL draft. Hansen had a statement declaring his intent:

"After serious consideration and countless discussions with my family, teammates and coaches, I have decided to declare for the 2017 NFL Draft. Competing in the NFL has always been among my highest goals and I believe the time to pursue this opportunity is now. This was an extremely difficult decision to make – my time at Cal has been amazing. I would like to thank the University of California, Berkeley for providing the best education in the country. I’d also like to thank coach Dykes, coach Spavital and our entire football staff for believing in me and preparing me for this next step. I thank my teammates for the memories and friendships that we have created together. And thank you to everyone who has stood by Cal football and provided us such great support. I will never forget the experiences and I am extremely grateful for everything I have gained during my time at Cal. Go Bears!"

Hansen was a walk-on transfer from Idaho State that broke out this season, transferring from the FCS school after feeling like he wanted to play at a higher level. He sent tape to a number of different colleges, getting turned down a number of times before Cal offensive assistant David Gru came upon it and got Sonny Dykes to offer Hansen a walk-on spot. Hansen took the offer, earning a scholarship in the spring of 2016, and garnered some playing time at the end of 2015, catching a touchdown pass in the victory against Arizona State. He finished 2015 with 19 receptions for 249 yards and 1 TD.

Hansen emerged this year from the get-go, taking over the lead role among receivers after Cal lost their top 6 receivers from 2015. He quickly took the starting job at the Z and became Davis Webb's top target early, starting off the season with two straight 14 reception games against Hawaii and San Diego State. He led the country in a number of statistical categories before injuring his left ankle against Oregon State, missing two straight games. He returned for the final four games of the season, recording a 70 yard touchdown reception on Cal's first offensive play from scrimmage against Stanford, as well as leading the Bears with 156 yards receiving during the victory over UCLA in the final game of the season.

Hansen finished the season with 92 receptions for 1249 yards and 11 TDs over the ten games he played in. The receptions and yards rank third in Cal history for single-season performances. He finishes his Cal career with 111 receptions for 1498 yards and 12 TDs over 20 games played (nine starts).

Hansen displayed his speed, catching quite a few deep balls for the Bears after running by corners. He also showed technical skills and precise route-running, becoming the polished receiver the Bears needed after losing their top 6 from 2015. He also had a penchant for subtle TD celebrations, starting with the Australian rules football scoring signal against Hawaii, and continuing with a Horns-down gesture after a touchdown reception against Texas.

Dykes had this to say about his star receiver heading to the NFL:

“Chad played a significant role in our offensive success last season and was certainly one of the top receivers in the nation, he has worked hard to put himself in this position, and I know it wasn’t an easy decision for him to make. We’re certainly going to miss Chad, but I’m excited for him and this opportunity. He has a skill set that will translate well to the NFL."

Hansen earned 1st-team All-Pac 12 honors from ESPN.com, Athlon Sports, Associated Press, and Phil Steele. He earned second team all-Pac 12 honors by the vote of the Pac-12 coaches. He also made the Biletnikoff watchlist after his early season performances

Hansen's departure opens the door for Vic Wharton, who should be the front runner to start at the Z in 2017.