Cal Football sends three players to the 2020 NFL Combine

The Cal Football program had some pretty impressive players on their roster in 2019 and they will send three of them to the 2020 NFL Combine this year.

The Cal Football team managed to simultaneously overachieve and underachieve in 2019. Despite surprisingly starting the season 4-0, the Golden Bears would go on to lose their next four games, but they still finished the season with a respectable 7-5 record.

A victory over Illinois in the RedBox Bowl was just the cherry on top as Cal finished with an 8-5 record, only the second time they had won eight or more games since 2009.

Injuries — particularly at the quarterback position — may have prevented them from reaching their true potential last season, but the Bears still had numerous players who shined and allowed them to play as well as they did.

And this year, Cal will be rewarded as they will be sending three of their top players to the 2020 NFL Combine.

While no offensive players for the team saw invites, their experienced, senior-heavy defense will have three representatives later this month. All three players were seniors who have been starting on defense for multiple seasons.

The three players representing Cal at this year’s NFL Combine will be linebacker Evan Weaver and safeties Ashtyn Davis and Jaylinn Hawkins.

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None of the three are particularly surprising invites and each of them stands a good chance at being selected in the 2020 NFL Draft, especially the first two.

Weaver is a prototypical old-school, run-stuffing linebacker with limited athleticism but an excellent work ethic. He’s unlikely to hear his name called early in the draft, but there is still a place in the NFL or tackling machines at linebacker.

Whether he’s a two-down run-stopper or a core special-teamer, Weaver should find a role in the NFL.

Davis, on the other hand, is someone who has starting potential at the next level. The 23-year-old is a rangy, physical safety who isn’t one to shy away from tackles on the back end.

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He has his limitations as a player and isn’t going to be a safety who excels in a Cover 3 scheme, but if drafted to a defense that makes use of a Cover 2 scheme, he could shine as an underneath zone corner who will lay down the hit stick from time to time.

Davis may very well be Cal’s first player selected come late April.

Hawkins, on the other hand, might have to fight his way on to a roster come the summer. The 22-year-old is a gritty, high-energy safety who excels in run support despite below-average athleticism.

His lack of top-end speed and range in coverage will likely prevent him from seeing the field on defense meaning that he’ll likely have to grind to make a roster on special teams.

All three will have the opportunity to improve their draft stock in Indianapolis later this month.

And after getting shut out in the NFL Draft last season, the Cal football team looms poised to have at least a couple draftees this season.