John Tofi, Jr. checks off a lot of the boxes that college coaches are looking for when on the recruiting trail. He has great size at around 6-foot-6, and the San Francisco-Archbishop Riordan senior plays with an intensity that programs hope to see at the next level.

It has taken until his final high school season to make his mark as a football player, but the work Tofi has displayed this season recently earned him an offer from Cal's coaching staff.

The Bears became just the second program to offer the 2025 recruit, and he committed to the local program Thursday evening.

"I chose Cal because it checked off all the boxes for me, personally," Tofi said. "One, it's a really great academic school. It's really close to home for me, I can stay close to family, and they play in one of the strongest conferences in college football. So those are the main reasons why I chose Cal."

Tofi has focused a lot on playing basketball, and he was part of the Oakland Soldiers travel team that plays on the Nike EYBL circuit giving him an opportunity to compete on a high level on the hardwood.

He believes the athleticism necessary to play basketball helps give him an advantage on the football field as a versatile player who can line up on either side of the ball. A torn meniscus and broken finger shortened his junior season, so it has taken him some time to convince college football programs that he has the same type of potential on the field as he does as a basketball player.