Cal Football: Bears Among a Long Line of Suitors for QB Prospect Jaden Rashada

Jaden Rashada of Pittsburg High in the East Bay is one of the top quarterback prospects in the class of 2023 and he acknowledges Cal is among the schools pursuing him.

“Cal has been on me pretty tough,” he told John Garcia Jr. of SI.com last weekend at the Battle 7v7 tournament in Dallas last weekend.

The challenge for the Bears is that many of the top programs in the country also are recruiting the 6-foot-4, 190-pounder.

He has at least 30 scholarship offers, including from every school in the Pac-12 except USC. So far.

He cited BYU and Washington as schools that have been on him for a while. Miami, now led by former Oregon coach Mario Cristobal, is heavily involved. So are the Ducks, with new coach Dan Lanning. Ole Miss, LSU and Arkansas are serious suitors.

Rashada says he will not make a hasty decision about a school.

"I'm taking my time with it,' he told Garcia. "I'm just seeing where I'm a priority to, where the best situation for me and my family is for me to try to change people lives. To win a natty, to win a Heisman.

"I can't rush a commitment," he said. "I'm thinking anywhere from tomorrow to signing day, I really don't know. I'd like to know where I'm going before the season starts, but if not I'll take it to signing day.”

How will he know which school is right for him?

"Where I'm comfortable, where I feel is home. Mainly where I can see myself living, because you only have football for a portion of the time. Can my family see themselves visiting?"

So what’s the fuss about?

Here’s how Garcia begins his report from last weekend’s event in Texas:

DALLAS -- It was hard to miss Jaden Rashada at the Battle 7v7 tournament in Texas over the weekend.

Even on a hot couple of days in a tournament with more than 55 teams in the 18U division and games going on simultaneously throughout a complex -- his frame, the arm or the oohs and ahhs the quarterback induced pulled more viewers in.

30 college programs had already seen enough of the Pittsburg (Calif.) High School star to come through with a scholarship offer and it didn't take long to see why there has been quick buy-in around the 6'4" passer over the last year or so.

Rashada earned second-team All-Bay Area honors from the Bay Area News Group this season. In 10 games he passed for 2,076 yards and 25 touchdowns, completing 58 percent of his passes. He was slowed late in the season by a hamstring injury and did not play in Pittsburg’s win over Clayton Valley Prep in the North Coast Section Division I title game.

The recruiting website 247Sports rates Rashada as a five-star prospect. The site lists him as the No. 5 quarterback prospect in the country, the No. 31 overall player.

Rivals gives him four stars and says Rashada is the No. 7 pro-style quarterback, the No. 63 overall prospect in the country.

Both sites rank him as the No. 5 high school player in the state.

Cover photo of Jaden Rashada by John Garcia Jr., SI.com

Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo