Eight Cal Football Players on East-West 1,000 List

Eight Cal players, including two wide receivers and two tight ends, were among the 1,000 college football players selected for the 2026 East-West Bowl 1,000 this week.

The East-West 1,000 is a list of players eligible for the 2027 NFL draft who are expected to be candidates for the Shriners Children East-West All-Star Game to be played February 4, 2027, in Arlington, Texas, and are therefore players who might be selected in the 2027 NFL draft. There will only be 256 or 257 players taken in the 2027 NFL draft, so most of the East-West 1,000 selections will go undrafted and some players not on this list may be invited to the East-West game and will be drafted.

This 2026 season is the first in which the new eligibility rules apply: Players have five years to play five college seasons. There are no longer redshirt seasons, even for injuries.

Players are eligible for the NFL draft if they are at least three years removed from their high school graduation class – i.e., after their true junior seasons or redshirt sophomore seasons. The new rules eliminates the “redshirt” tag. Cal quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele won't be eligible for the NFL draft until after the 2027 college season.

Five of the eight Cal players on the East-West 1,000 list can have an additional year of college eligibility based on the new NCAA rule. Cal preseason camp begins in two weeks.

The 8 Cal Players on the East-West 1,000

Daniel Harris – Cornerback, Senior

Because he did not take a redshirt season as a freshman, Harris could return for another college season in 2027 if he wishes. He played the past three seasons at Georgia and started three games in 2025. He has a chance to be a starter for Cal this season, but competition this fall will decide his status.

Ricky Fletcher – Cornerback, Senior

Fletcher is likely to be a starting cornerback at Cal this season after starting four games at Mississippi last season. However, because he sat out the 2023 season at South Alabama because of an injury, 2026 is his final season of college eligibility.

Jayden Wayne – Outside Linebacker, Senior

Wayne is a likely starter in 2026 after making nine starts for Cal in 2025. He did not redshirt his freshman season at Miami, so he could play another year of college ball in 2027 if he chooses.

Tyson Ruffins – Guard, Redshirt junior.

Ruffins is a good bet to be a starter in 2026 after starting all 13 games for Cal last year. Although he is listed as a redshirt junior, he redshirted his freshman season at Nevada, so he can play just one more college season after this one.

Mason Mini – Tight End, Redshirt Junior

Mini is the Bears’ top returning receiver (35 receptions in 2025), but it’s questionable whether he will be a starter this season with the addition of Dorian Thomas. However, Cal may start some games with two tight ends, in which case Mini would probably be a starter. Although he is listed as a redshirt junior, Mini had a redshirt season as a freshman at Idaho. The 2026 season will be his fourth college season, so he will be eligible to play college football in 2027.

Dorian Thomas – Tight End, Redshirt Junior

A good bet to be a starter at tight end after being a first-team all-Mountain West selection at New Mexico last year, Thomas redshirted his freshman season at Arizona, so he is eligible for the 2026 and 2027 college seasons.

Ian Strong – Wide Receiver, Senior

The 2026 season would be Strong’s final college season were it not for the new rule. He did not utilize a redshirt season, so he will be eligible for another college season in 2027 if he wants. He almost certainly will be a starter in 2026 after catching 52 passes at Rutgers last year.

Chase Hendricks – Wide Receiver

Like Strong, Hendricks is a likely starter after being a second-team All-MAC selection last year at Ohio. Also like Strong, Hendricks did not take a redshirt season as a freshman, so he will have another year of eligibility in 2027.

Number of 1,000 Selections at ACC Schools

Miami – 21

Louisville – 15

Virginia --13

Clemson – 12

Florida State – 12

SMU -- 10

Pittsburgh – 10

Stanford – 10

Virginia Tech -- 10

Georgia Tech -- 9

Duke -- 9

Cal – 8

Syracuse – 8

Wake Forst -- 8

North Carolina State -- 7

Boston College – 5

North Carolina – 5

The team with the most East-West 1,000 players selected nationwide is Texas Tech, with 27.

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