Top WR recruit Demetris Robertson picks Cal over UGA – Chattanooga Times Free Press
The Georgia Bulldogs had to wait three months before learning the destination of five-star receiver Demetris Robertson.
They didn’t like his answer.
Robertson announced Sunday at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta that he would be attending the University of California. The 6-foot, 180-pounder from Savannah Christian Prep was rated the No. 1 receiver in the 2016 signing class by Rivals.com and 247Sports.com.
“When I went there, it felt like home,” Robertson said at his announcement.
Robertson picked Cal over Georgia, Georgia Tech, Stanford and Notre Dame, which sent an 18-wheeler to Savannah in late January. He made an early commitment to Alabama but opened up his recruitment before the start of his senior season.
Cal has gone 1-11, 5-7 and 8-5 the past three years under coach Sonny Dykes, with last season’s team beating Air Force in the Armed Forces Bowl. The Golden Bears also won 45-44 at Texas last year, and they set a school record with 760 yards in a 54-24 thrashing of Oregon State.
Former Cal quarterback Jared Goff was the top overall pick Thursday night in the NFL draft.
“Demetris is a great fit for us with his very high academics,” Dykes said in a statement released moments after Robertson’s announcement. “He wants to achieve at a high level in the classroom. The great academics at Cal and the improvement of our program along with our West Coast location attracted him. He wanted to achieve some very specific things outside of football, and he felt like he could do that at Cal better than anywhere else.
“We’re looking forward to his contributions on and off the field. He’s going to be a great ambassador for our program.”
Robertson compiled 1,463 all-purpose yards and 13 touchdowns in 12 games as a Savannah Christian senior, tallying 1,043 rushing yards on 107 carries (9.7 yards per carry) and 105 receiving yards on 12 catches. He also had 41 tackles and two interceptions as a defender.
In January’s U.S. Army All-American Bowl, Robertson had two kickoff returns totaling 84 yards.
New Georgia coach Kirby Smart admitted earlier this spring how long he had been trying to sell Robertson on the Bulldogs. After Robertson’s decision, Smart congratulated him on Twitter: “Cal is lucky to have you. Best of luck in Berkeley.”
Robertson becomes the belated headliner of Cal’s 2016 signing class, which has 31 members and includes McCallie School cornerback Nygel Edmonds.
The Bulldogs did land a receiver commitment for their 2017 signing class on Sunday, receiving a nonbinding pledge from Trey Blount of Pace Academy in Atlanta. The 6-2, 185-pound Blount is rated the No. 35 receiver nationally by 247Sports.com.
Dunbar joining Tide?
Alabama is expected to name Karl Dunbar its new defensive line coach, AL.com reported Sunday.
Dunbar played at LSU and was the Tigers’ strength and conditioning coach under Nick Saban in 2001 and ’02. He was defensive line coach there in 2005 — LSU’s first season under Les Miles — then had NFL stints with the Minnesota Vikings (2006-11), New York Jets (2012-14) and Buffalo Bills (2015).
The Crimson Tide have been without a defensive line coach since Friday, when Bo Davis resigned.
Contact David Paschall at [email protected] or 423-757-6524.
