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LB Champion Johnson Commits to Cal for 2021 as a Walk-On

Versatile football player from Mater Dei High School could play a number of positions
Jake Curtis|
LB Champion Johnson Commits to Cal for 2021 as a Walk-On
LB Champion Johnson Commits to Cal for 2021 as a Walk-On

Cal made a late addition to its 2021 recruiting class when linebacker Champion Johnson of Mater Dei High School announced on social media on Tuesday that he has committed to the Golden Bears. He will be a preferred walk-on.

Johnson is rated a three-star recruit, and both Rivals and 247Sports list San Diego State and Oregon has the only schools who offered him scholarships. He is a versatile player who could play a number of positions. The 247Sports website lists him as an outside linebacker, while Rivals lists him as an athlete.

Johnson has played linebacker, fullback and tight end during his high school career, and it's possible Cal may want him to play fullback since the Bears have no fullback on the roster at the moment. Drew Schlegel, who was Cal's starting fullback last season, entered the transfer portal after the 2020 season, then decided to end his college football career without playing another season. Zach Angelillo, the only other fullback on the Bears' roster last year, entered the transfer portal after the season.

The fullback position is important in the pro-offense scheme used by Cal offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave.  He has said tight ends on the current roster could play that role, but the Bears may want someone who is more of a true fullback.

FBS coaches began noticing Johnson when he played at San Juan Capistrano J Serra Catholic before he transferred to football powerhouse Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana in 2020. 

Junior year highlights of Champion Johnson:

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Jake Curtis
JAKE CURTIS

Jake Curtis worked in the San Francisco Chronicle sports department for 27 years, covering virtually every sport, including numerous Final Fours, several college football national championship games, an NBA Finals, world championship boxing matches and a World Cup. He was a Cal beat writer for many of those years, and won awards for his feature stories.

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