A Player-by-Player Look at Cal's 2024 Signing Day Class

Cal’s football signing day began with the disappointing news that 5-star quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, a Golden Bears commit since last summer, had flipped to Oregon.

But Cal wound up signing 14 players, including a junior college transfer, and coach Justin Wilcox sounded excited about the newcomers joining his squad for next season.

Sagapolutele’s decision to attend Oregon only enhanced a Ducks' recruiting class that was ranked No. 1 by Rivals, No. 4 by 247Sports and No. 3, according to 0n3.

The Bears’ class slipped to No. 77 in the Rivals rankings, No. 74 by 247Sports and No. 65, per On3.

The rankings are a general gauge of talent but cannot always predict future performance.

Here’s a look at Cal’s 14 newcomers (with bio information provided by Cal Athletics):

— BECKHAM BARNEY (6-1, 215) inside linebacker, Mesa, AZ

* 74 tackles, including 10.0 tackles for loss and 1.0 sack, as a 2024 senior
* 145 tackles (13.0 TFL) as a junior to average 13.2 tackles per game, in addition to 4.0 sacks
* A consensus 3-star recruit according to On3, 247, ESPN and Rivals

— KADEN COOK (6-0, 195), defensive back, Round Rock, TX

* 54 tackles and a pair of interceptions as a senior
* 47 tackles and two forced fumbles as a junior

* Consensus 3-star recruit according to On3, 247, ESPN and Rivals

— TRE’ HARRISON (6-0, 180), defensive back, Gardena, CA

* 3 interceptions and 78 total tackles as a senior
* Helped Serra HS to 8-4 overall record and 4-1 conference record
* 78 tackles and 3 interceptions as a junior
* A consensus 3-star recruit according to On3, 247, ESPN and Rivals
* Also had offers from Notre Dame, Washington State and Boston College

— JAKE HOUSEWORTH (6-3, 225), tight end, Fortuna, CA

* Multisport athlete who played offense and defense in Fortuna Union HS career
* Ran for 778 yards (8.4 ypc) and caught 13 passes as a junior in 2023
* Also played running back and linebacker, along with basketball and baseball
* A consensus 3-star recruit according to On3, 247, ESPN and Rivals

— BEN HOWARD (6-4, 330) offense line, Levi, UT

* Started 10 games on the offensive line as a senior in 2024
* Played in 38 games over 3-year (2022-24) varsity career at Skyridge HS
* Helped Skyridge to 10-3 overall record and No. 3 state ranking
* A consensus 3-star recruit according to On3, 247, ESPN and Rivals

— MICHAEL KLISIEWICZ (6-6, 315), offensive line, Brentwood, CA

* Started all 12 games at tackle as a senior in 2024
* Played in 19 games over two years (2023-24) at Liberty HS
* Helped Liberty HS team to 8-4 overall record in 2024
* A consensus 3-star recruit according to On3, 247, ESPN and Rivals

— ANTHONY LEAGUE (6-0 210), running back, Long Beach, CA

* Rushed for 1,546 yards and 22 TDs as a senior in 2024
* Averaged 154.6 ypg and 10.6 ypc with a long of 84 yards
* Caught 14 passes for 379 yards and 4 TDs in 2024
* Helped Millikan HS to 8-3 overall record and 6-0 league mark in 2024
* 2024 Moore League Player of the Year
* Ran for 1,694 yards and 20 TDs at Los Alamitos HS from 2021-23
* A consensus 3-star recruit according to On3, 247, ESPN and Rivals

— AIDEN MANUTAI (5-11, 205), satety, Kahuku, HI

* 23 total tackles, 5 pass breakups and 1 interception returned for a touchdown as a senior
* Helped Kahuku to 9-5 overall record and No. 2 state ranking in 2024
* 17.5 tackles and 3 interceptions as a junior
* A 4-star recruit according to ESPN, 3-star by On3, 247 and Rivals

— IKE OKAFOR (6-3, 280), defensive line, Houston, TX

* 30 tackles (18 solo) and 5 tackles for loss as a senior in 2024 at Alief Hastings
* 5 sacks, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery
* Also competes in track & field, throwing the discus and shot put
* A consensus 3-star recruit according to On3, 247, ESPN and Rivals

— ODERA OKAKA (6-4, 240), outside linebacker

* Nation's No. 1 JUCO edge player according to 247 JUCO composite
* Nation's No. 3 JUCO edge player according to On3 industry ranking
* Helped College of San Mateo to 10-1 overall record, 5-0 conference mark in 2024
* A consensus 3-star recruit according to On3, 247, ESPN and Rivals

— MEYER SWINNEY (6-3, 210), wide receiver, Minneapolis, MN

* 80 receptions for 1,263 yards and 17 touchdowns as a senior
* Helped Edina HS to a 9-3 overall record in 2024
* 54 catches for 900 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior
* A consensus 3-star recruit according to On3, 247, ESPN and Rivals
* Younger brother of Cal offensive lineman Bastian Swinney

— JOHN TOFI JR (6-4 ,210), outside linebacker, San Francisco, CA

* 48 tackles (21 solo) and 2 tackles for loss as a senior in 2024
* 1 INT, and 1 forced fumble in final year at Riordan HS
* Also played safety and tight end in HS; played basketball for Oakland Soldiers
* A consensus 3-star recruit according to On3, 247, ESPN and Rivals

— LeBRON WILLIAMS (6-2, 260), edge, Kahuku, HI

* 16.5 tackles and 2 sacks as a senior in 2024 at Kahuku
* 4 sacks, 6 tackles for loss and 3 forced fumbles as a junior in 2023
* Helped team to 2023 state championship game
* A consensus 3-star recruit according to On3, 247, ESPN and Rivals

— JAE’ON YOUNG (5-11, 170), defensive back, Chatwsorth, CA

* 5 interceptions for 215 yards and 38 total tackles as a senior
* Helped Sierra Canyon to 8-4 overall record, No. 6 state ranking in 2024
* 29 tackles, 1 interception and 1 fumble recovery as a junior
* Rated a 4-star recruit by 247, 3-star recruit according to On3, ESPN and Rivals