Cal football enters the 2024 season with an open competition amongst their wide receivers.
Cal football head coach Justin Wilcox has his hands full this offseason as he tries to find the best wide receivers for his offense. For a school that is top in the nation for returning players, hardly any of them are wide receivers. The few receivers who are returning weren’t high volume producers, so expect full-blown competition amongst the room. In fact, of the four returning receivers, only two of them have caught a ball in a Cal uniform. Each player will get a chance to showcase their skills and prove if they can help the offense this fall.
It certainly won’t be easy for the Golden Bears offense in 2024. Familiarity at the wide receiver position usually whoever is playing quarterback. It’s up to the new receivers to come in, learn the playbook, and familiarize themselves with the quarterbacks.
As mentioned when discussing the team’s quarterback room, there’s a chance Cal fields multiple quarterbacks. Learning the playbook quickly will allow new receivers to feel comfortable with whoever is throwing the football.
Returning Receivers for the Golden Bears
Cal suffered a big loss to their offense when their best wide receiver, Jeremiah Hunter, transferred to Washington this offseason. Finding a way to replace his production represents a major challenge for first-year offensive coordinator Mike Bloesch.
It’s a safe bet that Mavin Anderson and Trond Grizzell will get a lot of playing time in Hunter’s absence. Both players have produced for the Golden Bears in the past and look to carve out a bigger role for themselves this season. They’re also the only two wide receivers who’ve caught a pass for Cal football at the moment.
Grizzell was one of the better receivers for Cal last season. Grizzell, a former walk-on, earned his way to a scholarship with the team. Now, he enters this season as the highest-producing wide receiver returning for Cal football. Grizzell finished last season with 590 yards and five touchdowns, and will look to improve in 2024. His counterpart, and the only other player in Cal’s wide receiver room who’s caught as pass last season, is Anderson.
Anderson enters his junior season with a lot to prove. He impressed during his freshman year where he caught 37 passes. However, he only caught eight passes last season. It’s unclear what his role will be in Cal’s offense this year, but he does have experience.
The two other returning wide receivers for the Golden Bears are Mason Starling and Nyziah Hunter. Neither player saw the field last season, but that is likely to change in 2024.
Starling played limited snaps in 2022, but an injury forced him to miss the 2023 campaign. Hunter, a local four-star recruit, did not play his freshman season but looks to earn himself playing time this year. These two will more than likely fill in as backups, but could easily see the field through special teams or injury.
New Faces in California
After losing their best player in the portal this offseason, Cal added a few wide receivers from top football programs. To be honest, there is a good chance that two of their starters this season are both transfers. The first transfer that stands out is Tobias Merriweather. The 6-foot-4-inch junior transferred following two seasons at Notre Dame where he finished with 284 yards, two touchdowns, and 14 catches his sophomore season. As of right now, he is the starting Z receiver for this offense, and that’s good for Cal’s quarterbacks. His size and speed mixed with his experience present an intriguing option on the boundary.
Tough competition lies ahead for the starting slot receiver position. In fact, two of the incoming transfers are primarily slot receivers. However, the frontrunner to start is probably Mikey Matthews.
Matthews played in all 12 games for the Utah Utes last season, where he caught 29 passes for 261 yards. That’s impressive considering Utah struggled passing the football last season – and he was just a freshman. Matthews should be in line for a big year this season for the Golden Bears.
His competition for starting slot receiver will be far from easy. Transfer, Jonathan Brady, is an explosive player from New Mexico State. Brady played against smaller schools but was able to stuff the stat sheet with over 600 yards receiving – including two games over 100 yards. Brady is a nice depth piece and can provide a spark to the offense. Expect him to share starting snaps with Matthews at the slot.
Cal’s wide receiver group is almost entirely new compared to last season. That can be both exciting and scary at the same time. The depth chart is very flexible and can change every week. Players have a chance to make the most out of their opportunities. It’s up to the coaching staff to see who fits with this offense.
There may be a surprise or two on the roster, but inevitably, it’s about finding the right group of players.
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.