Cal’s Early Signing Day

How long will it take until the Early Signing Day is just called Signing Day? The middle of December has been signing day for a while. It’s Signing Day. This year, Signing Day was December 15. Yesterday was the first day that high school football recruits could put pen to paper and officially make a commitment to their chosen college. Yesterday, Cal received official, signed commitments from 11 student-athletes. 

Nick Morrow, OL, 6’8” 250, Flagstaff (Flagstaff, AZ)

Sioape Vatikani, OL, 6’3” 320, Bishop Manogue (Sun Valley, NV)

Jeremiah Earby, CB, 6’2” 170, Menlo-Atherton (Menlo, CA)

Mason Starling, WR, 6’4” 185, College of San Mateo (San Mateo, CA)

Nathan Burrell, DL, 6’2” 285, St. John Bosco (Bellflower, CA)

Ashton Hayes, RB, 5’11” 180, McQueen (Reno, NV)

Trent Ramsey, OL, 6’5” 290, Carrollwood Day (Tampa, FL)

Jaydn Ott, RB, 6’0” 196, Norco (Norco, CA)

Curlee Thomas, Edge, 6’4” 240, Nolan Catholic (Ft Worth, TX)

Javien Plummer, WR, 6’3” 200, Episcopal (Alexandria, VA)

Nunie Tuitele, Edge, 6’4” 230, Regis Jesuit (Aurora, CO)

“This won’t be the end of recruiting for us.” - Cal head coach Justin Wilcox

This should be all about Cal’s new football players but the yo-yo pre-signing day of Bishop Alemany defensive tackle Damonic Williams must be mentioned. He was one of Cal’s earliest commits. Through the months between that commitment and early this week, he’s been one of Cal’s most solid commits. Then Tuesday came. Williams de-committed from Cal. Committed to TCU. De-committed from TCU. Re-committed to Cal. That was how he spent Signing Day Eve. The day was a roller coaster. On Wednesday, Damonic Williams signed with TCU. The only thing that really matters is that Williams is in the best place for him. 

For those that place importance on recruiting’s star-rating system, Cal signed two players that have been deemed four-star recruits.

Jaydn Ott

Trent Ramsey

The remaining eight players were saddled with three stars. 

Signing Day Breakdown

Position:

Offensive Line: 3

Defensive Line: 3

Running Back: 2

Receiver: 2

Cornerback: 1

State:

California: 4

Nevada: 2

Arizona: 1

Colorado: 1

Texas: 1

Virginia: 1

Florida: 1

I can’t remember Cal ever pulling a player from Texas and Florida. 

Unsigned but still expected to join the Golden Bears:

Cameron Sidney, CB, 5’10” 162, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA)

Jackson Brown, OT, 6’6” 295, San Ramon Valley (Danville, CA)

***

With quarterback Chase Garbers declaring for the NFL this week, Cal has an extreme lack of experience at football’s most important position. The departure of Garbers leaves freshman Kai Millner, sophomore Zach Johnson, and graduate transfer Ryan Glover as Cal’s only scholarship quarterbacks. Milner and Johnson have never played in a college game. Glover’s lone appearance was the Arizona game. That was the game that saw about half of Cal’s roster in quarantine with COVID. It was a valiant effort by Glover and cast but it was also one of the ugliest football games ever played. Wilcox said the Bears expect to add a quarterback, perhaps soon, perhaps a veteran from the transfer portal. 

Congratulations to the all of the new Golden Bears.