Cal Football Recruiting For 2027 Intrigues Top In-State Defensive Talents
Cal football recruiting is picking back up under the new regime.
Tosh Lupoi has always been known for being elite at one particular thing: His relentless focus on the recruiting trail. It is no surprise that the Bears are already generating early buzz for some top prospects.
Here are three of the earliest targets, and it comes as no surprise that the focus is on the defensive end.
Malakai Taufoou is ranked as the 339th best national prospect, the 33rd best safety and the 32nd best California prospect by 247Sports Composite. The Bay Area News Group awarded him the Peninsula Player of the Year.
The San Mateo (Ca.) Junipero Serra safety has shown interest in Cal already, but the new coaching staff has elevated that interest.
Myles Baker is ranked as the 330th best prospect, the 32nd best safety, and the 31st best California prospect by 247Sports Composite, and he is loving the new message from Tosh Lupoi. The 6-1, 185 pound Chatsworth (Sierra Canyon) safety is liking what he’s seeing from the new staff.
Scouting report from Greg Biggins:
- Baker is one of the nation’s best all around safety prospects.
- Big hitter who can fly off the hash and plays with an old school, headhunter mentality.
- Athletic and rangy in pass defense and has excellent cover skills for a safety.
- Should have no issues checking tight ends and big receivers at the next level.
- Instinctive and smart, has a high football IQ and is always around the football.
- An overall plus athlete with a hoops background and has one of the highest ceilings of any West Coast defensive back, regardless of class.
Edge Troy Bowens out of Sutter (Ca.) High School also likes what he’s seeing out of the new-look Bears, ranking Cal alongside Oregon and Washington. Bowens is ranked as the 20th-best defensive lineman and the 17th-best California prospect by 247Sports Composite.
More from Biggins’s early scout on Bowens:
Bowens is a big framed edge who probably projects best as a 3-4 end or moving inside in a four-man front. He’s a productive player with positional versatility and even played some receiver as a freshman before playing solely on defense as a sophomore. He’s not a super twitchy athlete and can continue to improve in this area but he’s a physical player with strong hands and shows a non-stop motor. He has good straight line quickness and closes well on the football. Has a solid track profile with a background in the shot and discuss and there’s plenty of long term upside here.
Coaches with local history recruiting local talent. Darn good long term plan. Go get all of them. Maybe, just maybe, this approach reduces the high turnover created by the portal. Go Bears!
I see references to Coach Anae here; has he been retained? Is there a list of the new coaching staff somewhere? Othere than Rolo are there other retentions? What vacancies still exist to be filled?