Cal Football Transfer: Tristan Jernigan, Linebacker from Texas A&M
The California Golden Bears have now landed two teammates from a college football playoff qualifier.
Tosh Lupoi made it clear that Cal needed to upgrade their overall athletic profile, and in his first full weekend in Berkeley, he seems focused on the defensive side. They have another major athletic talent inbound in Tristan Jernigan, who will join his former Texas A&M Aggie defensive teammate Solomon Williams in Berkeley. Jernigan was rated a top 30 linebacker transfer by 247Sports this cycle. He will have three years of eligibility remaining.
The six-foot, 230-pound Jernigan visited Oklahoma State and had interest from a host of Power 4 programs. Jernigan mostly played at A&M on special teams in 2024, and earned Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year honors. He redshirted this past season and has seen limited time with the Aggies, as Texas A&M boasted one of the best linebacking corps in college football. Jernigan will likely have more opportunities to play and compete in Berkeley and showcase the athleticism that made him a consensus top-50 linebacker in the 2024 class.
With Luke Ferrelli off to Clemson, Ryan McCulloch heading to UCLA, Harrison Taggart in the portal, and Cade Uluave fresh off visits to Texas and Michigan, the Cal linebacking room needed a new influx of talent, and itโs coming here from Jernigan.
Expect Cal to continue to look for more linebackers with either high-end talent or deep productivity in college.
Welcome to Cal Tristan!
Cal transfer portal arrivals
Running back Adam Mohammed (via Washington)
Running back Carter Vargas (via UC Davis)
Running back Ashten Emory (via UTEP)
Wide receiver Ian Strong (via Rutgers)
Wide receiver Chase Hendricks (via Ohio)
Tight end Dorian Thomas (via New Mexico)
Offensive lineman Mykeal Rabess (via Florida International)
Offensive tackle Jacob Arop (via South Dakota)
Edge Solomon Williams (via Texas A&M)
Linebacker Tristan Jernigan (via Texas A&M)
Safety Kingston Lopa (via Oregon)
Safety Michael Hurst Jr. (via Northern Arizona)
Does this mean that Ulave is gone? I hope not but it is looking more likely. Sigh.....
Looks like we just got another WR.