Cal Announces 2015 Recruiting Class

Submitted by: Cal Athletics

Head coach Sonny Dykes announced Cal’s 24-player 2015 recruiting class Wednesday on National Signing Day. The group includes a trio of 2014 prep All-Americans in QB Ross Bowers (Bothell, WA/Bothell HS), RB Lonny Powell (Sacramento, CA/Sacramento HS) and WR Carlos Strickland (Dallas, TX/Skyline HS).

In addition to success and talent on the field Dykes made it clear what he was looking for.

“The No. 1 thing we want to do is we want our student-athletes to understand the student part – to be good students, to be good classmates and to represent this university and 475,000 alums in a positive way off the field,” Dykes said. “We look at the academic fit, and then we look at the fit in terms of character.

“We get much clearer about what we are looking for as a football program every single year,” Dykes continued. “You go through the process and figure out what this university stands for and what kind of kids are going to do well here and the longer you are there, the more clear it gets. Luckily, this recruiting class is full of people that fit and people that are going to be incredibly successful on the field, off the field and in the community.”

Bowers is ranked as high as the nation’s No. 13 pocket passer according to ESPN and led his team to its first Washington state title as a 2014 senior. He completed 228-of-335 passes (68.1%) for 3,505 yards with 37 touchdowns and six interceptions in regular-season action.

Powell, who is listed as high as the nation’s No. 24 running back by 247Sports, was a two-way standout selected for the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl® after his 2014 senior season in which he earned All-Sac-Joaquin Section, first-team All-Metro (Sacramento Bee) and Metropolitan League Defensive Player of the Year honors. His defensive stats were highlighted by totals of 22.0 sacks, 36.0 tackles for loss and 95 tackles, while he added 969 all-purpose yards on offense

Strickland is ranked as high as the No. 12 wide receiver in the country and the No. 101 player overall by Rivals. He was selected for the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl® following his 2014 season. Strickland hauled in career totals of 84 catches for 1,770 yards receiving and 27 touchdowns over his final three prep seasons and was a four-year varsity starter.

The three All-Americans are among nine players in the recruiting class that received four stars from at least one recruiting service with the others including WR Austin Aaron (Napa, CA/Napa HS), ATH Jaylinn Hawkins (Buena Park, CA/Buena Park HS), OL Ryan Gibson (Bay St. Louis, MS/St. Stanislaus HS), DB Malik Psalms (Chino Hills, CA/Ayala HS), DL Russell Ude (Atlanta, GA/The Westminster School) and OL Semisi Uluave (Honolulu, HI/Punahou HS).

Cal’s 24-player class includes 11 defensive players, 10 on the offensive side of the ball, two athletes and one punter.

Others on the defensive side of the ball include DB Antoine Albert (Oakland, CA/Diablo Valley College/Oakland Tech HS), DT Luc Bequette (Little Rock, AR/Catholic HS), DL Trevor Howard (Thousand Oaks, CA/Oaks Christian HS), DL Zeandae Johnson (Fresno, CA/Central HS), DB Evan Rambo (Los Angeles, CA/La Salle HS), DL Cameron Saffle (Sammamish, WA/Skyline HS), DB Trey Turner (Mobile, AL/Murphy HS), DB Derron Williams-Brown and DL DeVante Wilson.

The offensive recruits also include WR Greyson Bankhead (Corona, CA/Centennial HS), OL Patrick Mekari (Westlake Village, CA/Westlake HS), WR Kanawai Noa (Honolulu, HI/Punahou HS) and WR Brandon Singleton (Boutte, LA/Hahnville HS).

ATH Billy McCrary III (Austin, TX/Rouse HS) and P Dylan Klumph (Malibu, CA/Golden West College/Crespi HS) will also join the Bears in August.

Cal’s signing class has 12 players from California, while two hail from Hawaii, Washington and Texas, and one each from Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi.

As of late Wednesday the class is ranked as high as No. 29 by Rivals, while MaxPreps has the Golden Bears at No. 35, Scout at No. 37 and 247Sports at No. 39.

Pac-12 Networks will air “Football Weekly: Signing Day Special” on Wednesday from 5:30 – 8 p.m. PT, on all seven Pac-12 Networks, Pac-12.com/now and the Pac-12 Now app. All 12 of the league’s head coaches will appear on the show with Mike Yam and analysts Rick Neuheisel and Yogi Roth. Pac-12.com will also provide coverage all day through its microsite at pac-12.com/football/national-signing-day. Additional coverage will be available on the conference’s social media outlets.

Cal will play its 2015 spring game at Kabam Field at California Memorial Stadium on Saturday, April 18.

The 2015 season begins with a home game against Grambling State on Saturday, Sept. 5. Fans can renew their season tickets for the 2015 campaign online at CalBears.com or by calling 800-GO-BEARS.

2015 Cal Football Recruiting Class (as of February 4, 2015)

• Austin Aaron - WR - 6-5 - 210 - Fr. - HS - Napa, CA (Napa HS)
• Antoine Albert - DB - 6-1 - 185 - Jr. - JC - Oakland, CA (Diablo Valley College/Oakland Tech HS)
• Grayson Bankhead - WR - 5-10 - 160 - Fr. - HS - Corona, CA (Centennial HS)
• Luc Bequette - DL - 6-2 - 285 - Fr. - HS - Little Rock, AR (Catholic HS)
• Ross Bowers - QB - 6-2 - 180 - Fr. - HS - Bothell, WA (Bothell HS)
• Ryan Gibson - OL - 6-3 - 265 - Fr. - HS - Bay St. Louis, MS (St. Stanislaus HS)
• Trevor Howard - DL - 6-4 - 235 - Fr. - HS - Thousand Oaks, CA (Oaks Christian HS)
• Zeandae Johnson - DL - 6-5 - 250 - Fr. - HS - Fresno, CA (Central HS)
• Jaylinn Hawkins - ATH - 6-1 - 200 - Fr. - HS - Buena Park, CA (Buena Park HS)
• Dylan Klumph - P - 6-3 - 230 - So. - JC - Malibu, CA (Golden West College/Crespi HS)
• Billy McCrary III - ATH - 5-10 - 195 - Fr. - HS - Austin, TX (Rouse HS)
• Patrick Mekari - OL - 6-5 - 300 - Fr. - HS - Westlake Village, CA (Westlake HS)
• Kanawai Noa - WR - 6-0 - 175 - Fr. - HS - Honolulu, HI (Punahou HS)
• Lonny Powell - RB - 5-11 - 220 - Fr. - HS - Sacramento, CA (Sacramento HS)
• Malik Psalms - DB - 6-3 - 175 - Fr. - HS - Chino Hills, CA (Ayala HS)
• Evan Rambo - DB - 6-4 - 185 - Fr. - HS - Los Angeles, CA (La Salle HS)
• Cameron Saffle - DL - 6-4 - 225 - Fr. - HS - Sammamish, WA (Skyline HS)
• Brandon Singleton - WR - 6-0 - 175 - Fr. - HS - Boutte, LA (Hahnville HS)
• Carlos Strickland - WR - 6-5 - 200 - Fr. - HS - Dallas, TX (Skyline HS)
• Trey Turner - DB - 6-1 - 180 - Fr. - HS - Mobile, AL (Murphy HS)
• Russell Ude - DL - 6-4 - 250 - Fr. - HS - Atlanta, GA (The Westminster School)
• Semisi Uluave - OL - 6-5 - 325 - Fr. - HS - Honolulu, HI (Punahou HS)
• Derron Williams-Brown - DB - 6-2 - 190 - So. - JC - Mesa, AZ (Mesa Community College/Betty H. Fairfax HS)
• DeVante Wilson - DL - 6-6 - 225 - Jr. - JC - Riverside, CA (Riverside Community College/USC/Corona HS)

Photo Courtesy: Cal Athletics