Cal Football: Chase Garbers Accepts Invitation to Play in NFLPA Collegiate Bowl
Cal quarterback Chase Garbers will get one more game-day opportunity to impress professional scouts when he plays in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl on Saturday, Jan. 29.
Garbers finished his five-season Cal career with the seventh-most passing yards (6,582) in program history. He threw 50 touchdowns, which is tied for sixth most by a Cal quarterback.
He rushed for 1,174 yards and 11 touchdowns in his career, both Cal records for a quarterback.
And he started 34 games, posting a 19-15 record, including 19-11 when he played at least half the game. Garbers was voted the Cal's Offensive MVP and named All-Pac-12 honorable mention this season.
But Garbers’ status as an NFL prospect remains iffy. He is typically not listed on mock NFL draft lists and is likely to have to earn a roster spot next summer as a free agent.
So this event provides one more chance for him to show scouts, both in practice and on game day, what he brings.
Other quarterbacks who have accepted invitations to play in the game include Brandon Peters of Illinois, Zerrick Cooper of Jacksonville State, Christopher Oladokun of South Dakota State and Cole Kelley of Southeastern Louisiana. Kelley, who earned FCS All-America honors this season, passed for 5,124 yards and 44 touchdowns this season while completing nearly 74 percent of his attempts.
The Pac-12 will be represented also by running backs Max Borghi of Washington State, Travis Dye of Oregon, and Keontary Ingram and Vavae Malepeai of USC, wide receiver Johnny Johnson of Oregon, offensive lineman Jalen McKenzie of USC, tight end Curtis Hodges of Arizona State and defensive backs Quentin Lake and Qwuantrezz Knight of UCLA.
The game will be aired on the NFL Network at a time still to be determined.
Former Cal standouts Camryn Bynum and Jake Curhan, both now in the NFL, were invited to the game a year ago, although the contest was not played due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cover photo of Chase Garbers by Darren Yamashita, USA Today
Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo
