Cal Football Video: Commit Will Reed Discusses His Choice of Cal
"Family" was the No. 1 priority for offensive lineman Will Reed, who announced last week that he has committed to Cal for 2021. And Cal came through in a big way in that regard.
"I think for me the biggest thing throughout my recruiting process I was looking for was family over and over," said Reed on Monday during a Zoom interview from his home in Sammamish, Wash.., "and that's what they [at Cal] showed me when I visited."
A member of the National Honor Society, Reed was interested in academics, and Cal satisfied that requirement.
"No. 1 public institution in the world, one of the best business schools in the world, and the [football] program is on a huge upswings the past couple of years, especially with Wilcox as head coach and now Angus McClure took the O-line job, I think it's looking really good for them," Reed said.
Reed visited Cal last fall when he began communication the Golden Bears coaches. He witnessed the Bears' Nov. 9 game against Washington State, a contest Cal won 33-20. What made an impression on Reed was the players' postgame victory chant in the locker room. "Which was awesome," Reed said.
Reed is among the candidates for Sports Illustrated's 2020 high school All-Ameria team. SI provided an evaluation and video highlights of Reed.
Here is the SI evaluation:
Prospect: OL William Reed
Projected Position: Offensive Tackle
Status: SI All-American Candidate
Vitals: 6-foot-5, 260 pounds
School: Sammamish (Wash.) Eastside Catholic
Committed to: California
Frame: Long, lean frame with room to add 20-25 pounds overall without much issue.
Athleticism: Moves well for his size, uses his hands well, and sets well in pass protection. Plays with aggression, especially at the second level.
Instincts: Leverages his frame and size well in the run game, and uses his length to his advantage in the passing game. Absorbs initial blow and delivers consistent first punches.
Polish: Sets confidently in his pass protection sets and moves effectively to the second level. He has to improve his pad height at the college level, as he continues to add to his frame.
Bottom Line: Reed is a long, lean tackle prospect with consistent footwork that will improve over time. He needs to add overall mass and definition to his frame and improve his pad height. He projects as a Power 5 contributor later in his career.
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