Cal Football Recruiting Q&A With Brandon Huffman Of Scout

1. Who's the best Cal prospect that the Bears have managed to land so far? Which player do you see fitting the Bearraid offense the best?

I think it's, hands down, Jaleel Wadood. Not only do they add a player from a great program, at a position of need, but Wadood is one of the most college ready prospects in the West, especially from a skill-set standpoint. He could certainly add weight, especially to play safety in college, but he's a high IQ player, with tremendous range and ability and one of the elite DBs in the West. As far as fitting into the Bearraid offense, I'd easily go with Jalen Harvey. He should add tremendous depth to a good, young, receivers corp next year, but then be a high-impact player down the line, if not right away.

2. Luke Rubenzer, Jared Goff, Zach Kline. What are the strengths and weaknesses of each Elite 11 QB Cal has recruited the last three seasons?

Kline's biggest strength is his arm, no question. Weakness is his arm strength, if you will. He's got such a strong arm, that sometimes he needs to pull back on his throws, especially in an offense based better on timing and accuracy. For Goff, it's his poise and pocket presence. Never rattled, able to handle the pass-rush. His weakness, if any, is he doesn't have tremendous downfield arm-strength. Especially compared to Kline. For Rubenzer, his strength is his football IQ and his accuracy. His weakness, is obviously his size, especially in relation to the other two QBs.

3. Which recruits are uncommitted right now that Cal fans should feel like they have a reasonable (30% or higher) shot of landing? Any info on who Cal might be going after the hardest among uncommitted recruits?

I would say Joe Mixon. I know he's got offers from all over the country, but he's certainly a priority, and for obvious reasons, for the Bears. You may say he's their biggest target. Getting home would really help reestablish the Bears in NorCal, especially in the East Bay, as Mixon isn't just the top player in the region, but one of the elite prospects nationally, and a player in Cal's backyard they need to get.

4. What have you heard about the new coaching staff on the recruiting trail? Who are the most active recruiters?

Pierre Ingram, Barry Sacks, Rob Likens, Zach Yenser. Seems like I hear those names all the times from recruits. They're active and aggressive and really getting Cal into the mindset of a slew of recruits.

5. Looking back at last year's recruiting class, do you see anyone contributing immediately and helping out the Bears? Are Goff and Khalfani Muhammad immediate contributors or do they have a learning curve?

I could easily see Johnny Ragin jump into playing time immediately. Physically, he's ready with the tools to play as a true freshman, the temperament and the skill set. I see Goff having a chance to contribute earlier than Muhammad- mainly because Goff spent the entire spring working with the Bears, and getting ready for college, while Muhammad was out winning state track titles- so not sure just how ready he is for college football- but he'll certainly be ready for college track.