Cal Football: Bears send multiple offensive line offers to immediate transfer talent
Cal handed out several offers to potential offensive linemen
Cal has a few urgent positions of need in the spring transfer portal, including quarterback.
But the earliest news from this portal cycle has come from the offensive line, where Cal remains thin. At the moment there has only been one offensive linemen inbound in Martin Tine, when last year indicated it was a critical position of need. Offensive line coach Mike Bloesch is definitely not standing pat though.
Houston transfer Cam’Ron Johnson showed early interest in the Bears, but appears to be down to Missouri and USC. So in the past few days, a few offers have been handed out. Let’s take a look at some of the names.
Wyoming offensive lineman Emmanuel Pregnon
Pregnon is arguably the most talented prospect on the market, landing offers from basically everywhere the moment he entered the portal this past week. More on Pregnon from 247Sports:
"Pregnon has intriguing capabilities as an interior lineman with ideal body structure and movement skills," says 247Sports national analyst Clint Brewster. "He plays with the willingness to bury people in the run game and shows outstanding effort in pass sets. Pregnon is still very raw which gives him exciting potential. He has ability to be an upper-tier offensive guard in college football if he continues to grow in terms of technique, leverage, and awareness. He's quickly becoming one of the most coveted transfers in this window."
He’s at 20 offers and counting, including Cal. The names the Bears will be competing against (Oregon, LSU, USC, Texas A&M and Penn State) will be stiff, so it’d be a recruiting coup if Cal can get in the mix here.
Tulsa offensive lineman Jaden Muskrat
Muskrat is another offensive lineman picking up a host of buzz after entering the portal, and Cal was one of the many to offer. More from 247Sports:
Muskrat (6-3, 307) played in 20 games during his three-year career at Tulsa. He started in 11 games at right tackle last season, allowing just three sacks in 848 snaps.
Since Muskrat entered the NCAA Transfer Portal on Saturday, Auburn, California, Penn State, Virginia Tech, Arkansas and Cincinnati have offered. He has three seasons of eligibility remaining.
Muskrat was recruited strongly by Bloesch at North Texas, so you have to image a pretty strong connection here. But competition will be stiff.
Houston offensive lineman Trevonte Sylvester
With Johnson likely no longer a viable target for the Bears, Cal will look at one of his teammates Trevonte Sylvester, who they offered earlier this week. Some of his most recent tape is available here. Purdue and Louisville have also extended offers.
Sylvester saw some action for the Cougars last season as the backup left tackle.
72 snaps on field goal/extra points
42 snaps at left tackle including 33 in win vs. Rice (Sept. 24)
Helped Cougars to 427 yards of total offense vs. Rice
No sacks or quarterback hits allowed (16 opportunities)
He's a junior in HS. He has his senior year to grow. He'll probably add an inch or they will make him an interior lineman. Even if he gets to 300# as a freshman, he's going to need a year or two on weights and learning technique. But, if he's athletic, he has the frame and good size for a high schooler. I trust Bloesch knows what he's doing and while I value ratings the ratings companies (Rivals, 247. ESPN...) have been known to miss guys (Fernando Mendoza) and also some guys with high ratings turn out to be a bust. If the kid has ability, heart, and desire and loves the game, then I want him. And the only way to find that out is to watch film and talk to him. I trust Bloesch has done that.
Questionable if it helps Cal, a certainty it hurts the sport, hacks don't make a sport better - speaking of hacks, Clueless Carol and Empty Suit Jim have totally FUBARed Cal's Ath Dept so I don't think salaries for a couple of third rate former FB assistants mean much in the grand scheme of things