These players for the 2025 recruiting class could create a major impact for Cal football.
NIL and the transfer portal have turned the college football landscape upside down. Schools use their resources to attract recruits or players currently looking for a new school. The California Golden Bears have been active in the transfer portal and have a solid NIL foundation, but lack the resources a lot of power four schools have. However, recruiting is still the bread and butter of Cal Football, and their best bet at building their future. The Golden Bears are off to a slow start but have signed some very intriguing prospects.
Jae’on Young
Jae’on Young is the only four-star recruit for the school so far. Young is entering his senior year at Sierra Canyon High School where he plays both wide receiver and cornerback. He can play both sides of the ball and that’s why he’s received interest for both positions from plenty of big schools like USC, Oregon, and Texas A&M.
Young could garner more attention if he has an impressive senior year, but he’s committed to Berkeley. The speedster ran a 10.77 100-meter dash as a sophomore in high school. That speed is something this team needs whether he plays on defense or offense. Depending on how this season goes for him, he could receive a lot more attention from a bigger school. For now, he’s a Golden Bear and potentially the most impactful recruiting prospect Cal football has signed.
Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele
The best quarterback recruit for Cal in this class so far is Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele. The Hawaiian native is the No. 1 recruit in the entire state for the class of 2025. The three-star quarterback’s final four schools came down to Utah State, California, Boise State, and Oregon State but ultimately signed with Cal.
The lefty can certainly sling it as he has thrown for over 7,200 yards and 68 touchdown passes in his career at James Campbell High School. Fans should expect him to continue to throw it all over the field his senior year, and prove why he is the top recruit in the state. This was a big signing for the Golden Bears, and could potentially be the next great quarterback for the university. If he is the next Tua Tagovailoa fans will certainly be happy.
Ben Howard
It’s always good to show some love to the offensive line. Games are still won in the trenches, and making sure you have a good offensive line should be a top priority.
The best offensive lineman signing for Cal has been Ben Howard from Skyridge High School in Utah. The three-star recruit has great size already as he heads into his final year coming in at 6-feet 3-inches and 300 pounds. Surprisingly, he committed to Cal after receiving offers from schools like Penn State, Iowa State, and Arizona.
Howard will more than likely play guard at the college level after playing tackle in high school. This is a great signing for Justin Wilcox as he knows that he will more than likely need to beef up the trenches now that they’re in the ACC.
The Future
These are just three recruits for the California Golden Bears. The team isn’t done adding more players for the 2025 class. There were multiple players worth writing about and deserving of being on this list, but those three stand out the most as of right now.
Fans should expect them to make a major impact on the Golden Bears in the coming seasons. After all, it’s hard not be excited about the future of this team and the influx of young talent. Cal is still actively trying to get top recruits and will also find players in the transfer portal. Hopefully, they can continue to add talent and build this team to have future success.
Cody Henderson
I root for teams that only let me down. Talking all things Las Vegas Raiders and Cal Bears football. Follow me on X where I post my dramatic takes.