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Going Camping

Shurod Thompson
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The backstory: Only a sophomore at Regan Upshaw's former school, Pittsburgh High, Shurod Thompson attended several Cal games in the fall and has been on campus "a bunch of times." His coach, Manny Chavez, also has a strong relationship with the Bears staff and both acknowledged Cal as a possible landing spot. The junior doesn't have an offer just yet, but all indications are one is on the way. Both Thompson and Chavez made the trip from Hayward over to Berkeley after Sunday's camp to chat with defensive coaches Art Kaufman and Andy Buh.
Scouting Report: One of the most physically mature players at Sunday's camp, Thompson measured in at 6-3, 190-pounds -- about 15-pounds heavier than he finished the season at. He is currently listed as a safety but may ultimately wind-up at outside linebacker. His frame could easily carry the added weight and he has terrific north-and-south speed.
Our take: Given his size, speed, and proximity to campus, Thompson ought to be a priority for the Cal staff. He's an extrovert who -- if the Bears could coax an early commitment -- would help lobby other local talent to Strawberry Canyon.
Tyler Petite
The backstory: The junior out of Moraga high school is a sought at commodity by schools around the nation. Offered by Cal two weeks ago, he has been mainly in contact with coach Dykes and Likens. He planned on visiting the Berkeley campus once the NorCal Rivals camp ended and "definitely want(s) to go to a spring practice." Besides Cal, Petite boasts offers from Colorado, Northwestern, Duke, University of Miami, Arizona State, Arizona and USC and is currently talking to Oregon, Utah, Purdue and Tennessee. He believes USC and the University of Miami are good fits for him, but lives by the philosophy "if they have the time to talk to me, then I should at least take a look in to their program." His GPA is a 3.3.
Scouting Report: With a 6-4 frame, weighing in at 217 lbs, this tight end has will give college defensive coaches headaches, creating all kinds of matchup problems. He was by far the most agile and talented tight-end at the camp on Sunday, physically dominating the defensive backs with size and burning the line-backers with his speed.
Our take: Petite is a rare breed of athleticism and size which has garnered him national attention from large programs. Even though Cal might have offered early and is close in proximity, it seems like Petite has his eyes set somewhere else - for now.
Austin Aaron
The backstory: A 6-5 TE/WR out of Napa High, Aaron checks all the right boxes. He's a near straight-A student (he has offers from Harvard, Yale, and Brown) and told GoldenBearReport on Sunday that his dad and grandfather went to Cal. Both, he said, are lobbying in favor of the Bears, and all three joined Thompson in tripping to Memorial Stadium on Sunday afternoon. He doesn't have an offer yet, but according to a source, it's only a matter of time.
Scouting Report: Aaron was one of the few guys at Sunday's camp who regularly hauled in the pigskin at its highest point. Despite being 6-5, he reaches top gear surprisingly fast.
Our take: As good as Cal's receiving corps is, it lacks a player with the speed to run deep routes AND the size to regularly win jump balls; Aaron is that player. He's physical, has MASSIVE hands, and would provide the Bears with a much-needed force in the redzone. He claimed Offensive MVP honors on Sunday and will almost assuredly experience a jump in the rankings. Fortunately for Sonny Dykes: Aaron is a pass-catcher, first, who projects better at receiver than tight end. And as he reminded GBR, "Cal throws the ball A LOT."
Justice Shelton-Mosley
The backstory: Mosley, out of Capital Christian, a small Division 4 school in Sacramento believes he does not get the respect he deserves. "(People say) 'he's not playing talent, that's why he's putting up all those stats'. So today I wanted to show that I could compete with the best and that's happened." This junior can play on both sides of the ball as a defensive back and slot receiver, but prefers playing defense because of his size and quickness. Moseley, who was visiting Coach Dykes and Cal after the Rivals NorCal Camp has just one offer from UC Davis, but is on the verge of snagging a few more. He'll be visiting Northwestern and UCLA in the upcoming months and has been in talks with ASU, Harvard, Yale and couple other Ivy League schools. His GPA is a 4.14.
Scouting Report: While at the Rivals NorCal camp on Sunday, Shelton-Moseley played on both sides of the ball. At 5-10, weighing at 160 lbs, he exceled as a receiver during the one-on-one drills with break away speed and great footwork, sending a defender to the ground after juking him one way and going the other. Defensively, Shelton-Moseley held his own for the most part but could put on a little more weight, sometimes getting pushed around by more physical receivers.
Our take: Shelton-Moseley who is still an under-the-radar guy could be a great steal for Cal. He possesses the skills he needs to succeed at the next level and still has time to fill out his frame next season, which could make him an even bigger recruit. The junior was very interested in Cal and believes they are a great fit especially with the proximity to his family. It also doesn't hurt that he has a 4.14 GPA.
Dominic Fredrickson
The backstory: Fear not, Cal fans. The latest talent to come out of Freedom High doesn't have the grating swagger of Joe Mixon. Dominic Frederickson does, however, have plenty of talent -- and a Cal offer. Washington and UCLA are also communicating with the 6-2, 315-pounder, but Dominic and his father attended nearly every Cal game last season and have built a solid relationship with O-Line coach Zach Yenser, citing his youth and energy as major selling points.
Scouting Report: "Nimble" and "powerful" find their marriage in Frederickson. He gets good push off the line -- see Joe Mixon's stats -- but has the quickness to lead his tailback downfield, too. He'll likely play center at the next level but has the ability to play guard and long snap, as well.
Our take: Versatility aside, Fredrickson is a high character athlete who loves the game. Run blocking or pass blocking -- you get the feeling he just wants to hit somebody. Coaches scour the earth for tackles in the spring, but when summer rolls around, guards get their just deserves, and Fredrickson should boast offers from every Pac-12 school when all is said and done.
Javin White
The backstory: White isn't on Cal's radar yet. In fact, he's not on anyone's. That, though, is about to change, and Rob Likens shouldn't have too much trouble selling the Vanden High junior on Berkeley. White grew up a Cal fan and told GBR it's his dream to don the Blue & Gold.
http://www.hudl.com/athlete/1625361/javin-white
Scouting Report: From Fairfield, White turned quite a few heads when he mopped-up the competition in Hayward yesterday. His speed isn't exceptional, but it is deceptive, and long strides and precise route-running allow him to get separation. A near 40-inch vertical coupled with a 6-3 frame also has its advantages.
Our take: At the very least, White deserves an invitation to Cal's junior day. Tape can't tell the whole story, but what he did against stiff competition on Sunday is undeniable. Only midway through their junior year, it's not uncommon for talented players from small-ish schools to remain anonymous. "I'm way underrated" White told GBR. It won't however, stay that way for long.
Rodney Washington Jr.
The backstory: Washington Jr., a defensive back out of El Cerrito High School is "very interested in Cal" and conversely has received a lot of interest from coach Dykes and his staff. His high school football coach has been the main liaison for communication with the coaches at Cal and the local junior plans to visit Berkeley over the summer. So far, Washington Jr. does not have any offers but is close to receiving one from San Diego State and another from Wisconsin. Besides this NorCal Rivals camp, he plans on attending a Nike camp in the upcoming weeks.
Scouting Report: Washington Jr., at 5-11 and 168 lbs never let a receiver see the light of day earning him the defensive back MVP award. His press coverage, recovery speed and overall swagger made him stand out from his peers as coaches were making him go against all the top receivers, which included Cal target Justice Selton-Mosley. "I was feeling good right from the beginning…I had a great mentality coming in and wanted to show everybody that I'm worthy of this MVP."
Our take: Like Shelton-Moseley, Washington Jr. has still not gained major traction in the recruiting world but could be on the cusp of some big offers with a performance like today. Cal seems to have shown interest but might want to offer soon if they want to have a shot this local talent before he blows up.
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