Cal continues to reshuffle and reload its roster for the 2024 season, and Tuesday the Bears added their most significant piece of the offseason puzzle. Four-star receiver Mikey Matthews announced his commitment to the program after a visit to become the highest-rated pledge in the transfer class for the Bears. The Utah freshman had an impressive start to his career in 2023 playing in 12 games with six starts.
He eventually collected 261 yards on 29 catches this season and coincidentally had his best performance against the Bears. In that Oct. 14 meeting at Rice-Eccles Stadium, Matthews caught seven passes for 53 yards.
The decision to pick Cal over his other options, including Arizona and Baylor, means Matthews will get to make a return to the West Coast. He signed with Utah as a Rivals250 recruit out of Mission Viejo High School down in Orange County.
Tennessee, Colorado, Arizona State and Princeton were some of his options as a high school recruit in the 2023 class.
His production as a freshman in Salt Lake City has moved his ranking up even higher the second time around, with Rivals currently rating him as the 56th-best transfer portal prospect this offseason.
Matthews visited both Baylor and Cal over the weekend after taking an official visit to Arizona shortly after entering the portal last month.
In addition to his work at inside receiver, Matthews will also be a contender to contribute in the return game as well. In 2023, the 5-foot-8, 180-pound receiver averaged 20.6 yards per return on kickoffs, putting him fourth among all players in the Pac-12 in that category.
The move to Berkeley will also give Matthews an opportunity to connect with another Mission Viejo High alum, receiver Mavin Anderson, giving the Bears another connection to the newest addition.
Justin Wilcox and his staff have now added 11 transfer players through the portal this offseason, and three of them are receivers. The two scholarship members of the bunch, Matthews and Notre Dame transfer Tobias Merriweather (No. 125), are the two highest-rated transfers for Cal up to this point.
Matthews continues a run on offensive additions for the Bears and new coordinator Mike Bloesch. Cal added a big commitment from Temple offensive lineman Victor Stoffel on Monday after beating out Texas A&M and UCF for his pledge.
Running back Kadarius Calloway (Old Dominion), receiver Cole Boscia (Colorado), offensive lineman Rush Reimer (Montana State) and quarterback Chandler Rogers (North Texas) are the other offensive additions made by the Bears over the last month.
Like the other members of the group, Matthews is a midyear transfer who is expected to join the team for the spring semester at Cal. He will have three seasons of eligibility plus the option of a redshirt year available moving forward in his career with the Bears.
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Cal offseason transfer additions
– LB Teddye Buchanan (UC Davis | Dec. 5)
– QB Chandler Rogers (North Texas | Dec. 11)
– DL Aidan Keanaaina (Notre Dame | Dec. 16)
– DB Marcus Harris (Idaho | Dec. 17)
– OL Rush Reimer (Montana State | Dec. 18)
– K Ryan Coe (North Carolina | Dec. 21)
– WR Tobias Merriweather (Notre Dame | Dec. 21)
– WR Cole Boscia (Colorado | Dec. 21)
– RB Kadarius Calloway (Old Dominion | Jan. 3)
– OL Victor Stoffel (Temple | Jan. 8)
– WR Mikey Matthews (Utah | Jan. 9)
