Cal Golden Bears add first 2017 Lineman with OC Michael Saffell
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @HogManInLA
After a hot spring period on the recruiting trail where the Golden Bears added six verbal commitments, additions to the class has been sparse since July with just three. Efforts in recent weeks are paying off in October with two new commits already. The second addition to the class this month came on Wednesday with in-state center Michael Saffell.
Saffell has been part of a gritty Edison High School team that went 7-4 in 2015 but is off to a 4-1 start this season heading into the heart of their Sunset League schedule.
Cal won Saffell’s commitment over reported offers from Penn, Yale, UNLV, San Jose State, UC-Davis, New Mexico, Harvard, Columbia, Colorado State, and Brown. Saffell posted his decision on Twitter writing, “Excited to announce my commitment to the University of California-Berkeley!! #CalGang17.”
The commitment was followed by a statement:
Saffell is the second commitment in four days for the Golden Bears. On Sunday San Diego area safety/athlete Jordan Genmark-Heath verbally committed to Cal.
Cal has the No. 51 overall recruiting class in the nation per Rivals.
Cal Golden Bears 2017 Verbal Commitment List (13)
CB Je’Quari Godfrey, 6-2, 185, Bishop O’Dowd HS, Oakland, CA
CB Tyriq Hardimon, 6-0, 190, Lassiter HS, Marietta, GA
CB Marquese Taylor, 5-11, 177, Lovejoy, Hampton, GA
SS Jordan Genmark-Heath, 6-2, 205, Cathedral Catholic, San Diego, CA
LB Da’Quann Patton, 6-2, 210, Trinity Valley C.C., Athens, TX
DE Gabriel Cherry, 6-5, 265, Centennial HS, Bakersfield, CA
DE Alex Funches, 6-2, 225, Trinity Valley C.C., Athens, TX
OC Michael Saffell, 6-2, 293, Edison HS, Huntington Beach, CA
RB Biaggio Ali Walsh, 5-10, 186, Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas, NV
QB Chase Garbers, 6-3, 205, Corona Del Mar, Newport Beach, CA
WR/DB Jeremiah Hawkins, 5-9, 170, Buena Park HS, Buena Park, CA
WR Taariq Johnson, 6-2, 213, Buena Park HS, Buena Park, CA
WR/CB Michael Onyemaobi, 6-1, 187, Chaparral HS, Temecula, CA
Photo credit: youtube.com; No. 54 Michael Saffell.