Senior Spotlight: Cal's Next Top Seniors In 2016
With the sun setting on the collegiate careers of a number of senior players on Cal's football roster, it is nearly time to turn the page to the next batch of seniors. After Cal's Armed Forces Bowl appointment with Air Force, it will be the juniors that take on the role of seniors within the football program. If they all happen to come back in 2016, Cal will not be short on good quality talent at key positions, but just how many move on to the NFL must first be known.
Junior quarterback Jared Goff is believed to be leaving the program for the NFL. His draft stock will not get much higher as he is already scouted as one of the top quarterbacks in the 2016 NFL Draft pool should he choose to forgo his final season of eligibility at Cal. Goff has little more to prove, although the lack of a big win on his record is merely a mild blemish on an otherwise impressive profile. Goff completed 64.2 percent of his passes this season for 4,252 yards and 37 touchdowns. Goff's pending departure will leave Cal a bit raw at the position next season.
Junior wide receiver Kenny Lawler could also be on the move after catching 10 touchdown passes this season. Though he lost some momentum down the stretch due to injury, he, like Goff, is highly respected among NFL scouts and could make the leap in the draft as a batch of senior receivers - Bryce Treggs, Trevor Davis, Maurice Harris, Darius Powe and tight end Stephen Anderson - and have an impact somewhere rather quickly. With that bunch moving on, Cal's Bug Rivera will be the elder statesman among the wide receivers. Rivera caught just three passes for 101 yards and a touchdown this season despite appearing in 10 games.
Leading rusher Khalfani Muhammad is expected to return for his senior season. Muhammad rushed for 539 yards and a touchdown this year. He will continue to split time running the football with to-be-juniors Vic Enwere and Tre Watson.
There may not be a ton of seniors leading the way on defense next season. Defensive end DeVante Wilson and linebackers Jake Kearney, Cameron Walker and Hardy Nickerson are all possible to return, which should make for a good presence in the front of the defense. Nickerson was named the team's defensive MVP for the 2015 season, joining Goff as Cal's offensive MVP. Considering how much the defense improved this season and helped close the gap between not making a bowl game and making one, these seniors will be looked to continue leading the way with the progress and development on the field. Their leadership could come in handy.
Time will tell just what the 2016 Cal senior class will look like, but that should start coming into focus soon enough as the bowl season gets underway and players start making their plans for the future, be it with Cal or not.
Kevin McGuire is a Philadelphia area sports writer covering the Philadelphia Eagles and college football. McGuire is a member of the FWAA and National Football Foundation. Follow McGuire on Twitter @KevinOnCFB. His work can be found on Examiner.com.
