How does the top-20 Cal football transfer portal class look on offense?

The California Golden Bears have loaded up on offense with a host of new talents to complement Fernando Mendoza and Jaydn Ott.

Credit: Cal Football

For the second straight year, the California Golden Bears have upgraded at multiple positions via the transfer portal. This is in large part thanks to the efforts of Cal donors and fans contributing to the NIL over the span of the 2023-24 season, and ensuring the coaching staff had the necessary resources to bring in the talent they needed.

As a result, the rankings were very strong again.

• Cal’s portal class was ranked 15th by On3. The Bears were ranked 19th by On3 for their 2023 class. Four of Cal’s opponents had a higher ranked portal class: Florida State (4th), NC State (7th), Syracuse (9th), Auburn (11th).

• Cal received a nice 17th place ranking by 247Sports. This is about where they were situated in 2023, placing 18th. Florida State (7th) and Miami (10th) were ranked ahead amongst Cal opponents.

Let’s try and project how these portal additions are likely to make the most impact. This week, we look at the offense.

A very solid quarterback option

Had Chandler Rogers decided to make the move to Cal a year ago (as had been rumored), there is a world in which he is the starting quarterback right now. But things didn’t work out that way, and now Rogers is going to have to displace the popular incumbent in Fernando Mendoza.

While Rogers still has work to do to make his way up the depth chart, there’s no denying his production, his scrambling, and his playmaking. 29 passing touchdowns and 5 interceptions last year speak for itself. If Mendoza hits a rut at anytime this season or in camp, Rogers seems more than ready to step into a lead role.

A potential new running back #2

Jaydn Ott is secure as the starter, but who could be next up? There are plenty of returning faces like Byron Cardwell, Justin Williams-Thomas and Jaivian Thomas who will be leading the way, but there are injury concerns surrounding all three.

Enter Kadarius Calloway, who took advantage of a thinner spring RB rotation to make waves. Calloway put up 623 yards on 7.1 yards per play in 2023 at Old Dominion, with a 120+ yard all-purpose performance against Appalachian State highlighting his ability. Calloway could certainly slide into that RB2 role that Isaiah Ifanse enjoyed last season before his injury.

A much deeper wide receiver room

There is one big loss (we’ll get to him later), but aside from Trond Grizzell and Mavin Anderson, the new wide receiver room will be disproportionately comprised of the new 2024 portal additions.

Tobias Merriweather comes in from Notre Dame and has the physical measurables to be a WR1. It’s a matter of consistency with him. Then there’s Mikey Matthews from Utah, who figures to be an exciting component of the return game and will be one of Cal’s speediest options at wideout in sometime. Jonathan Brady from New Mexico State is a crucial depth piece who could see significant action given the gaps in talent. And then there is the talent out of Ohio State in Kyrion Grayes, who could be the wild card that shakes it all up.

It remains to be seen who wins the job. Although there are plenty of talents entering the rotation, production is a bit of a question mark.

• Merriweather: 14 catches, 284 yards, 2 TDs

• Matthews: 29 catches, 261 yards

• Brady: 39 catches, 621 yards, 4 TDs

• Grayes: No action as of yet

It’s possible Grizzell just hangs onto WR1 status. Perhaps freshmen like Josiah Martin (who had a standout spring) and Trevor Rogers steal the show entirely in fall camp. But these four new faces are going to grab the bulk of the snaps.

Somehow, a second tight end appears

Corey Dyches was a surprise, but a welcome one. The Maryland transfer provides the Bears with the ability to put out two tight end looks if the matchup favors that. Both Dyches and Jack Endries bring different skillsets, but both can catch that ball and force defenses to think about those extra weapons as the wide receivers flood the zones.

A bevy of offensive line depth

Cal lost several offensive linemen contributors after 2023, particularly Matthew Cindric, Barrett Miller, Brian Driscoll, and Brayden Rhome. Converted tight end Nick Morrow has emerged this spring to be a star in the making at left tackle. TJ Session, Bastian Swinney, Sioape Vatikani and Matthew Wykoff all return.

And in comes even more talent at every spot. The biggest additions are All-Conference Coastal Carolina transfer Will McDonald, who is likely to be in heavy contention to win a starting guard spot. Temple transfer Victor Stoffel and Montana State transfer Rush Reimer are also likely going to contend for a starting spot, and we haven't even discussed Barrett Miller's little brother Braden Miller from Michigan State.

That’s four new faces, three who earned all-conference honors last year. Wow.

What are the losses that Cal will definitely feel through the season?

The major portal loss is wide receiver Jeremiah Hunter, who is off to Washington. The number one wide receiver for a long time in Berkeley, Hunter’s targets diminished from previous years under the more spread type offenses that distributed the football around to tight ends, running backs and inside wideouts a lot more than before.

Despite all that, Hunter still compiled impressive performances against Arizona State (6 receptions, 89 yards, TD), USC (96 yards on 8 catches) and UCLA (101 yards, 8 catches, two scores). So while Cal did add significant potential contributors in Merriweather, Matthews and Brady, and should expect similar production from Grizzell, there is still no one on the roster who has been quite as productive as Hunter was.

Conclusions

To simply put it, Cal is the deepest it has been in nearly a decade, at every offensive position, and the portal is largely to thank for this. It has two great quarterbacking options, over a half-dozen options at running back, a half-dozen options at wide receiver, and two legitimate pass catching tight ends. The offensive line enjoys a legitimate two deep, with the portal providing necessary depth.

Depth does not ensure productivity. A lot of these talents are unproven, and it’s not likely all the player the Bears bring in are going to significantly contribute this year. Even in Cal’s top 20 portal class last year, just under half became regular contributors. However, despite the nearly equivalent rankings, I’d say Cal’s 2024 transfer portal class is a step ahead of 2023—the competition has just ramped up across the board.

But Cal has someone who can contend to be the best skill player in the ACC in Jaydn Ott. If you add this depth to the mix, if everything falls into place, this Bears offense could shock a few people roaring out of the gate.

As for the defense and special teams…stay tuned!

Cal fans, what excites you most about the 2024 offensive transfers?