S Matt Giordano (JC, three-star, Cal was only significant offer). All-Pac 10 and honorable-mention all-American in 2004. Another JC gem from Tedford. Currently backing up Bob Sanders in Indianapolis, after going in the third round, Giordano is one of the few former Cal players with a Super Bowl ring.
DE Ryan Riddle (JC, four-star, Cal was only significant offer). How can a four-star player who was offered by USC out of high school be a gem? When he doesn't play football for two years before enrolling at JC.
Riddle set the Cal record for sacks (14.5) and was in the top five in the nation in that category in 2004, when he was an All-American. Was a bust in the NFL, and is playing the Arena league currently.
Busts: None
Players that lived up to the hype: DT Brandon Mebane (four-star, No. 13 DT, Chose Cal over USC, UCLA, among others). Mebane was not a superstar, but did have seven sacks in a year, and was drafted in the third round by Seattle.
Overall, these classes had several gems, and no real busts, because Cal was still was not getting much high-major talent. In 2004 (Part II of this article), that would definitely change.
Please comment with the major surprises and disappointments from your alma mater/ favorite team.
We're going to send you the most entertaining Cal Bears Football articles, videos, and podcasts from around the web.
0 Comments
Loading more comments...
This comment and all replies have been deleted This comment has been deleted Undo delete