Cal football recruiting big board: Golden Bear prospects on both ends of the line

Isaac Garcia: DE, Bellevue (Washington)

Overview:
Garcia is a 4-star defensive end out of Bellevue, Washington. Garcia provides nice size at 6' 4" 215 lbs, and could prove to be a nice addition to a Cal recruiting class that has already addressed many needs. (Secondary and Defensive Line). Garcia is fond of Cal as a potential college destination, but his recruiting has been quiet so far. The main competitors here seem to be Washington and USC.

Significance:
Cal could take advantage of what is looking to be a rough year for both of the Washington schools to come in and snag one of the top players in Washington. Mike Leach's 2015 recruiting class was looking good until it fell apart in the eleventh hour and it looks like he may be out the door in Pullman. Chris Peterson has done an alright job recruiting, but this year will be the year he shows what he can do with his own talent rather than that of seven-win Sark. If Cal can get Garcia, they can make a statement that they are to be reckoned with on the recruiting trail.

Fit:
The only thing in worse shape than the Sacramento Kings franchise is Cal's defensive line. While Cal did a good job last year adding Devante Wilson and Russell Ude as potential edge-rushers, it could use all the help it could get. Furthermore, if Cal could snag a highly rated pass rusher for a second year in a row, it could bode well for future recruiting classes. If Sonny can field a non-abysmal defense this year, it will certainly help him to recruit better defensive prospects.

Boss Tagaloa: DT, De La Salle (Concord)

Overview:
Besides having one of the sickest names of this recruiting cycle, Boss Tagaloa is also a huge defensive tackle that is a force to be reckoned with in the middle of the defensive line. Tagaloa is a consensus four star recruit who is ranked 59th overall and is the ninth best DT in this class. If Cal were able to get Tagaloa and Garcia, our defensive line woes could come to an end. Tagaloa is high on Cal, but for those of you looking for a decision to come soon, Tagaloa has already announced it is his intention to wait until signing day before he makes a decision. Cal is in his top 12, but Tagaloa is still extremely early in the process, and how Cal performs this season, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, will determine whether or not they have a real shot at luring him away from blue bloods like UCLA, Alabama, and Michigan.

Significance:
Getting Tagaloa would be the biggest signing of Dykes' tenure, considering he has yet to bring in a prized recruit on the defensive side of the ball, and Tagaloa is just that. Tagaloa would be the anchor of Cal's front seven for however long he decides to stay, and would be extremely disruptive in the run game. Furthermore, Tagaloa comes from De La Salle, and similar to Bosco, De La Salle produces some of the best talent in California. Cornerback Evan Rambo signed with Cal last year and is from Bosco, and if Dykes can have a Bosco and De La Salle pipeline going, he should have tons of success.

Fit:
Tagaloa is a mammoth at 6-3 295 lbs, and would be a perfect fit inside Cal's defense. Cal will have a much stronger interior D-Line this year with James Looney joining the fold and Mustafa Jalil returning from injury, however, Cal will need all the help it can get in the coming years, as they will be losing a lot of defensive lineman in the next two years due to graduation. Tagaloa can join Chris Yaghi as our defensive tackles of the future. Tagaloa recently attended The Opening and was lauded as one of the top defensive tackles in attendance. Tagaloa would truly blossom in the 4-3 and would be an extremely effective run stopper.

Alex Akingbulu: OT, Narbonne (Harbor City)

Overview:
Alex Akingbulu is an offensive tackle out of Narbonne in Los Angeles. Akingbulu has been offered by a slew of colleges, but seems to be focused on Cal, Michigan, Boston College, UCLA, and USC. Akingbulu is rated as a three-star by most services, but a four-star by rivals. Being out of LA, it seems that it would be hard whisk him away from his hometown, as UCLA is the rumored favorite to land him at this point in time. That said, there is still a lot of time between now and February, and a winning season would go a long way towards convincing in-state recruits to go Cal.

Significance:
Cal has been looking to get lots of tackles this cycle, and so far they have with the additions of Jake Curhan and Daniel Juarez. Akingbulu would be a nice addition to this group as a more athletic, pass-blocking tackle. Cal has been trying to make inroads down south, which has been dominated by UCLA and USC. However, Cal has gained much more recognition on the recruiting trail among recruits who find Cal intriguing as an up and coming destination. With the exception Semisi Uluave from last year, Cal hasn't been able to draw in a lot of offensive line talent, which has instead ended up at the likes of Stanford and USC. Hopefully, the draw of being in a system which can showcase his athleticism from the tackle spot will be enough to sway him towards Cal.

Fit:
The biggest complaint about the offensive line in the past two years has been its inability to protect Goff against elite defenses. In the game against Washington and USC, it was clear that our line could not protect Goff against edge rushers like Hau'oli Kikaha and Su'a Cravens, and just got destroyed up the middle by the likes of Danny Shelton and Leonard Williams. As a weak side tackle, Akingbulu could protect the future Cal Quarterback's blindside. (Max Gilliam, you heard it here first). If the Quarterback in the Bear Raid has time to throw, good things will happen. In addition to his pass blocking prowess, Akingbulu could use his athleticism to help seal the end so that Cal's running backs can get around the corner into open space.

Matt Farniok: OT, Sioux Falls (Washington)

Overview:
Farniok is a consensus four-star recruit out of Washington who is being pursued by a ton of Pac-12 and Big-10 schools. Landing Farniok would be a huge get for Dykes, however the odds aren't great considering all of the competition. Farniok has taken an unofficial visit to Cal, which means that there must be some interest considering he had to pay to visit.

Significance:
Along with Akingbulu, Farniok is a highly rated lineman considering Cal, and landing one or both of them could be significant progress in their recruitment of lineman. Cal could surely use big bodies, and Farniok is one of them at 6-6 290. Cal has been stocking up on lineman with size such as Semisi Uluave and Jake Curhan, and getting Farniok would continue that trend.

Fit:
Farniok is extremely strong, as his highlight tape features him pancaking the poor defensive lineman that have to face him. Farniok could function as the right tackle, whose job is primarily to open up lanes for the running back. With some good coaching, Farniok could develop as a dominant run blocker who could pave the way for athletic backs for years to come.