Cal football recruiting Q&A with offensive line commit Daniel Juarez

What do you want to accomplish as a senior in your last season before you head off to Cal?

I just want to finish up everything at Centennial. I just want to have all the fun I can while I am a senior, and finish the year off strong. I have a GPA above 3.5 and I want to try and get it as close as I can to a 4.0.

Is it cool that your teammate Camryn Bynum is also committed to Cal? Did you play a role in recruiting him to Cal?

Yeah it's awesome. Especially having some classes with him and getting closer to him. I have always been close to him, but now that we are both going to Cal it is going to be cool.

What areas are you looking to improve upon before you suit up in blue and gold? Is there anything in particular that you need to improve before you are ready to play in college?

Lower pad-level. I have the physical abilities to go in there and do well. I need to improve just some small things like lower pad-level because I am a taller guy, which can make it a struggle sometimes. Especially when I am playing at guard.

Is the Cal brand strong at Centennial?

Yes, it is now because Grayson Bankhead went to Cal last year, and two years ago Tre Watson did too. Now this year it is Camryn and me. It used to be that many of the D-1 recruits from Centennial would go to ASU. This year we have a lot more D-1 guys who are going all over but we are trying to have people go to Cal.

Why do you love the game so much? What have you gotten out of it?

It might sound corny, but football is kind of a lifestyle. It really does consume your life, and I don't mean that in a negative way, it is actually more positive because of everything that comes out of it. My whole life is pretty much football.

With how the depth chart looks right now, do you think you will redshirt your first year?

I'm not sure right now. I know that the entire offensive line is made up of juniors and seniors. Some of them will be returning but others will be leaving. It's a question mark for me too. I'm just hoping to go in and do my best. I personally think that I could contribute in my first year but let's see how it plays out.

How do you see yourself contributing to Cal in the long run?

I can see myself at guard. Throughout my entire high-school career, I have played at tackle, but this year I have played guard and I have become more comfortable with it. I could go to Cal and play pretty much any position on the offensive line. I've played center, tackle on both sides, and guard as well. I'll do whatever Coach Jones needs me to.

What was the primary reason you chose Cal over a host of other schools? Why did Cal stand out to you?

Education, the coaches and location. Education is the biggest thing. I had an aunt in the 80s who went to Cal and she majored in chemical engineering. She loved it and she always talked to me about Cal. I want to come out of Cal with a solid career so I can support my family. The second biggest thing would be the coaches. They are awesome. if you have a good relationship with your coaches, you are going to have a better experience with football. The last thing is the location. The Bay Area is awesome. I'm in between Los Angeles and San Diego now and it's really hot down here.

Internally how do you feel about going to play College football? Any nerves? Explain what's going through your head right now? (Ease, excitement, fear)

I know that college will be a huge jump from high school, but hopefully not as huge for me because we are on TV every other week. Our past four games were all on TV. It is still going to be a huge jump, but hopefully it won't be too bad because I am used to the spotlight. I've played at the Anaheim Angels stadium and the Stubhub Center in Carson, so being on the big field in front of a big audience isn't a problem for me.