Fall camp began this weekend in Berkeley and Cal’s newest group of wideouts impressed:
Among the new players, much of the focus was on the wide receivers. There are five of them, and at least a couple of them should have a strong chance of making a run at playing time this season. The headliner is Keenan Allen, one of the top recruits in the country. Coach Jeff Tedford said earlier this week that Allen is as “ready-made” as any receiver he’s ever coached, and he sure looks the part — 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, moves well and looks natural catching the ball.
One player that stood out to me during the limited time we could watch practice is Kaelin Clay, the freshman from Long Beach Poly. He appeared to run smooth routes and catch balls nicely in stride, and certainly looks athletic. Tevin Carter and Coleman Edmond also look like they have potential.
With the sudden departure of Chris Martin, Keenan Allen has become the marque star of Cal’s incoming recruiting class. Allen was considered a safety out of high school, but with his impressive athleticism Tedford sees him primarily as a receiver. But his talent is such that he could see the field as a defensive back in nickel and dime packages. The Chronicle took a closer look at what Allen may bring to the Bears:
As a prep senior in Greensboro, N.C., last year, the versatile Allen scored a startling 53 offensive touchdowns and also had eight interceptions.
Note to the head coach: Get this chap on the field, fast.
“He’s about as ready-made as anyone we have at receiver,” Tedford said. “He’s a good-looking guy. He’s really put together. He has great range and leaping ability.”