Recap: Early Signing Day Nets Eighteen Signees for the Bears
The dust has cleared on early signing day, and as Justin Wilcox took to the podium, Cal had finished their 18 man class to this point, signing everybody with little drama. The first thing that Wilcox mentioned is the 13 players out of the 18 that have won championships. Winning has been a big topic recently for Wilcox, who mentioned on a KNBR interview that they need to be in bowl games every year. The winning mentality is big for Wilcox in that regard.
One of the next questions that he answered was in regards to adding to the team's length.
"I think getting bigger, on the fronts, on the offensive line, we definitely got added size. You can look at the weight of the offensive linemen, those guys are really big. They still are going to have work to do, but in terms of their physique, they're 6'6", 6'7", few guys are over that, then on defense, the d-line, the outside linebackers, just getting bigger on both fronts was a goal of ours, and I think we've laid a good foundation for that with this group."
So it was, as the offensive line is the star of the 2018 class for the Bears moving forward, as they look to build behind that group going forward.
First Thoughts:
Some bullet points from the notes we were given:
- Wilcox alluded to a story about Johnny Adams, that when OC Beau Baldwin went to visit, everyone wanted to meet him, as they knew that he'd be Adams's coach going forward. Everyone coming forward to talk about Adams, from counselors to teachers to students, is a good sign.
- Four early enrollees, with Jasper Friis, Chigozie Anusiem, Colt Doughty, and Lone Toailoa. Big deal with Anusiem, a sizeable corner who could make an impact immediately.
- Evan Tattersall is a true athlete for the Bears. Wilcox noted his speed, something that stood out in their camp, as at 225 lbs, he was the fastest guy at one of their camps. He can go at H-back or linebacker, and special teams will certainly be a starting place for him.
- Wilcox relayed a story about Nikko Remigio, that during their camp he would steal some reps so he could get back in during drills. Wilcox and the staff noted that they see how much guys like playing football, as opposed to being football player and enjoying the popularity that that provides. Remigio got an offer later that day.
- Also told a story about Matthew Cindric trying to chase a DB after a turnover, almost caught the guy while running 70 yards to try and catch up. The effort was noted by the coaching staff
Surprises:
- JH Tevis is listed at 6'3" and 225, as opposed to his 6'5", 235 by Rivals. He's smaller than expected, and that may cut into some of his effectiveness. His length was why Cal took him, and he's going to have to grow in that regard. He is the same size that Cam Saffle was when he came to Cal.
- McCallan Castles is listed at 235 and 6'5", an absolute boon for the Cal offense. A month ago, Castles told me he was 225, but to be listed at legitimate tight end size lends to his likelihood to play right away.
- Louie Bickett at 215 makes him much more viable for the middle linebacker spot, which is where Wilcox hinted he'd play.
- The biggest surprise was the Bears picking up Aaron Maldonado. Maldonado was dropped by UCLA yesterday, and Cal snapped him up. Wilcox said he could play nose in the 3-4, and tackle in the 4-2-5. Maldonado was someone that Wilcox has seen since his freshman year of high school. The hope is that he'll play with a massive chip on his shoulder. It's essentially a swap with Atonio Mafi, who flipped to UCLA and Jerry Azzinaro
The Mafi-Maldonado Swap
We turn to Nam Le for thoughts on it:
Nam: Can I please have some silence for my departed son and receipt guy Atonio Mafi? Thank you. Now that that’s over, let’s just be honest about it: losing Mafi absolute sucked. Despite the defensive tackle designation that went next to each of their names, the two of them could play very different roles in our schemes. Perhaps UCLA just didn’t need any more 5 techs -- I’m not familiar with their roster to that degree -- but to say Maldonado couldn’t play in the 3-4 seems silly. While we are getting some talent back in this trade, we’re also coming out on the losing end of exchange simply because we have no true noses, due to no fault of his own. Positional scarcity matters, and I’d say the same if we were trading a 4 star safety for a 4 star receiver.
As far as Maldonado the player goes, Wilcox said they project him at a nose, and he shares many of the traits of the player we just lost. At 6’3, he might stand to gain about 10 to 15 more pounds before he can really hold that point for the FBS level -- although since he’s not injured, he has a chance of contributing immediately -- but he has a noted motor and chases the ball down the field, which makes me love him already. Strong, decent mobility, very Luc Bequette-esque, as Trace said, and if we can get a couple of those, that’ll be fine. The bonus is if he can become a double digit TFL type guy. That’s what’s a luxury in a 3-4. Might not be as high of a ceiling, but I can imagine a much higher floor for Maldonado than Mafi.
Overall Class Thoughts:
- Wilcox noted that they're looking at around 5 more in February, though that number is fluid. They're looking at something more in the front seven, another TE or WR, a QB and maybe another DB.
- Right now, it's an unfinished class. The offensive line class is incredible, and Steve Greatwood deserves a ton of credit for that. Running back is very strong, Adams and Chris Brown Jr. make a formidable running back duo. There's a lot of length, but you need more size up front, especially since they had trouble stopping the run against bigger fronts at Oregon, Washington, and Stanford this year.
- As for who they fill it out with specifically, Zach Wilson just got offered at QB so he's a target. Casey Rogers, a prep school DE is a target on the line moving forward. OLB Joseph Ogunbanjo, DE Christian Jones, and ILB Jacob Mangum-Farrar are guys Cal wants to flip from Baylor, SMU, and Stanford respectively. Camren McDonald hasn't signed anywhere at the tight end spot. Cal offered CB DJ Brown, and he hasn't signed yet despite being committed to Virginia.
- The guy I've picked as my 'receipt guy' is Nick Alftin. A long pass rusher brimming with potential, right in Cal's backyard in San Jose. He loves football, and can go with the best of them, and his frame lends itself to so many different avenues as a football player.
- This class is meant to be foundational, so it's not perfect. There aren't clear gamebreakers at the skill positions, though Johnny Adams is a guy who can accelerate with the best of them, and Nikko Remigio can be a threat a la Kanawai Noa, but it made the offensive line a priority. It's a matter of completing the defense, which means hiring another defensive coach with a focus on recruiting, something that Wilcox wants in his final two coaches in the class. Size matters, and Cal needs to find more of it to complete the class.